Another Auld Lang Syne
by kellyb321
Summary: Every time I hear Dan Fogelberg's "Same Old Lang Syne" during the holidays I wonder "how would that play out 'Klaine-style?" Well, here's my take on it, based VERY loosely on the song. Kurt and Blaine never recovered after Blaine cheated in high school. They went their separate ways and haven't seen each other in ten years...until one fateful night in a grocery store.
1. Chapter 1

Another Auld Lang Syne…

Chapter 1

"No…no, Mom, it'll just be me this time. Don't stress out about the guest room, because I know you will," Blaine forced a smile as he shook his head, flipping through shirts in his huge closet. Thankfully he had some long sleeved shirts to pack since he seemed to be traveling more often than not, lately. He didn't have much of a need for them in L.A. most of the time.

"Why isn't Seth coming with you? It's not right to be apart during the holidays, honey," Pam scolded him.

"I guess he wants to see his family, Mom, and I really…I really don't," Blaine sighed, half a sardonic laugh coming out with it and Pam snickered, too. He'd never been a fan of his long time boyfriend's family. He and Seth had been together for the better part of 8 years now and not once had any member of Seth's family ever embraced him or offered him a genuinely heartfelt greeting. They were workaholics, wealthy from generations before them and concerned only with money and appearances. They were cold people, that was for certain.

You know what they say about the apple not falling far from the tree? Well that wasn't true for Seth, as he was nothing like them at all. He was warm and friendly, intelligent and easy going. He was a good friend, which is how he and Blaine had begun…as friends. Blaine longed for those days. Truthfully, Seth would probably spend Christmas with anyone but his family. With another sigh Blaine focused back on the phone conversation his Mom had kept up while his mind wandered.

"…and Pops had planned to come over, but I think we're going to head over there instead, especially since you'll be here. Gran's been getting around a little slower lately, ya know? I worry…"

"I know you do. She's getting up there in years, Mom. I don't mind going there instead."

"You know all of your cousins will probably show up now, and maybe bring their friends. Oh…Goodness…well…maybe I shouldn't even tell them you're coming home this year. Remember the last time we had Christmas Eve at Granny's house and your cousin Sidney brought that awful, awful girl with her and she tried to spike your drink and get you all-"

"Yes, oh my God, Mom, I remember, and I'd really rather not. Can we just…just don't tell them I'm coming home. It'll be a surprise for Granny and Pops. You know that means you can't tell Cooper either. He can't keep a secret to save his miserable life," Blaine smirked.

"You're right…absolutely no telling Cooper. He'll turn it into a three ring circus on the front lawn. I'm just so excited, Blaine. It's been a long time since we've all been here to trim the tree together. Your father will be thrilled. You know how he is with his traditions and all, and the four of us together to celebrate on Christmas Eve at Granny's house like we used to? He'll love it."

"I can't wait to see him, either, Mom. It's been too long. Everything's ok, right? You guys are ok?"

"Everything's fine, honey. I promise. Yes, there are hiccups in life, but we've moved past it and I think we're well and truly back to being 'us' again. I'm glad."

"I am, too. I really am."

"Well, honey, what time should I pick you up from the airport?"

"I'm not sure yet, really. I think…I'm thinking about maybe driving. I could use the time alone to think, ya know? I…I have a lot on my mind these days, Mom."

"Oh…Blaine, no. If you drive, it's that many more days we won't have you here! I'll pay for the flight if you—"

"Mom!" Blaine laughed. "Are you implying I can't afford a plane ticket!? Seriously?"

"I just…oh, don't make fun of your mother, Blaine Devon!" She giggled. "I don't see you as the big shot, superstar that you are, you're just my little boy! I know you have more money than you need or know what to do with, but I just…I'm your mother, Blaine. I want you home, all to myself, for a little while. Driving will take too long, and I'll worry. You don't want to worry your mother now, do you, Blaine?" She teased. Blaine grinned into the phone and chuckled, glancing out the window at the Christmas lights adorning his neighbor's balcony railing. Deep breath, Blaine.

"No, Mom…I don't want to worry you…not now, not ever…" he trailed off, and she was sure she heard a sniff at the end. Pausing with his hand on a clear plastic garment bag, Blaine ran his fingers over the navy suiting, the red piping around the lapels still as vibrant as ever.

"Blaine…sweetheart, is everything ok? Are you ok? You know how I worry and if you're planning to drive across the country from L.A. to Ohio by yourself—"

"I dunno, Mom. Maybe you're right…let me think about it. Maybe I'll just get a plane ticket and fly home. That's all I'd need is to fall asleep at the wheel and have an accident. I can see it now: 'Billboard Artist of the Year, Blaine Anderson, in the hospital with multiple injuries during cross country trip home for the holidays….' That would just be the icing on the cake, wouldn't it?" Blaine let his eyes fall closed and blew out a deep breath.

"Blaine…are you sure you're ok? You don't sound like yourself and I worry, you know? I'm your Mother, Short Stuff, and you know you can talk to me if—"

"I know, Mom. I…I know, and I love you for it. And I will talk…we'll talk about everything, you and me. Not right now…today…but we'll talk when I get there. I just have a lot on my mind, I promise. It'll all work itself out."

"You're too uptight these days, Blaine. There hasn't been a time when you weren't uptight since high school…back when you spent all your time with—"

"Mom…don't. Please…don't. Not today…not now, I can't…" Blaine trailed off softly, and Pam left it there, hanging in the open. They both knew and it didn't need to be said. Again.

"I know, and I'm sorry. I just…you're doing everything I thought you always wanted to do, sweetheart, but I rarely ever see you…happy. Are you happy, Blaine?" Pam asked, genuinely concerned.

Blaine considered his answer before actually speaking, running the events of the past six months through his head on a loop, just like every night before bed, every morning in the shower and every spare moment of the day. Was he happy? He knew the answer without even thinking twice.

"Not really, Mama…but I think I could be. It's time for a change, I think."


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks a ton for your comments, follows, favorites, etc. I'm glad to see there are still some Klaine fans out there reading about our boys and I'm thrilled you'll let me try to entertain you for a little while.**

 **Can I ask a huge favor from you? I know we all have our busy lives and everything. I'm just asking for a moment of your time for purely selfish reasons. I have two friends who are going through really rough times right now. One is dealing with anxiety and depression and everything that comes with it and another is battling cancer and will start chemo tomorrow. I'm asking for your well-wishes, your good karma, your prayers...anything you can throw their way. I hope that's not too much to ask. I love 'em both and I need for them to know I'm thinking of 'em and sending hugs and all the positivity I have in me. Please and thank you in advance.**

 **Now go read. :)**

 **Chapter 2**

"There's my son!" Burt boomed as he enveloped Kurt in a huge hug in the middle of the airport. "Man, have I missed you, kid!" he grinned.

"I've missed you, too, Dad. It's good to be home. Where's Carole? I thought she was coming with you."

"She'd planned to, but her Aunt Penny, you know the one who lives in the assisted living home? She fell last night and broke her hip, I guess, and she had surgery this morning to fix it. Penny doesn't really have anyone else, so Carol went to sit with her. She'll be along later, though."

"Aww, that's too bad, I like Aunt Penny. She's a hoot. She's the first person in Carole's family that I ever met and she took to me like a fish to water. It was a refreshing change after…well, at the time, after everyone else around me looked at me like I was diseased. Crazy ol' woman," he grinned. "I hope she's ok. Maybe I'll go visit her while I'm in town?"

"I think she'd love that. She calls to ask about you now and then," Burt grinned, grabbing Kurt's luggage from the carousel as it spun by.

"So what's his name decided not to come with you this time, eh?" Burt asked with a smirk, not meeting Kurt's eye. Kurt almost dropped his bag but grabbed it tightly just in time.

"No, Dad, Lars decided to head home to Germany for the holidays this year, and that's just fine. I needed some time away, you know? Everybody needs a little time away—"

"You start singin' something from my generation and I'm gonna sing along with you, Kiddo. You know I love me some Chicago," Burt grinned, bumping shoulders as he and Kurt exited the terminal. _"After all that we've been through…I will make it up to you…."_ Burt sang quietly, serenading Kurt. This was the playful side of Burt Hummel that Kurt hoped would resurface eventually, and he was secretly thrilled to see it.

Kurt rolled his eyes and actually laughed for the first time in what felt like forever. It felt…good.

"Where'd you park, ol' man?" he teased, eyeing the brightly decorated entrance/exit of the airport with its garlands and bows in red, gold and green.

"Oh, I didn't. I was chauffeured here in style, actually," Burt grinned, nodding toward a rather large truck approaching at the curb. The windows were darkened and for a moment Kurt wasn't sure if it was their ride or someone about to run him down.

"What the he—"

"Good to see you, little bro!" Finn said as he nearly tumbled out of the hulking vehicle. He grabbed Kurt up in a hug that almost had his feet leaving the ground and Kurt found that he didn't even care. At some point in their lives he would have snarked at the fact that Finn seemed to manhandle him like a ragdoll, but it was so good to just be with them…to be home…that he didn't even give a token protest before wrapping his arms around Finn and squeezing back.

"Still two months older than you, Finn," Kurt teased, a twinkle in his eyes.

"Still a foot taller than you, Kurt," Finn teased right back.

"You're still a foot taller than everyone on earth, Finn. What issss this thing!?" Kurt asked, eyes wide.

"I've been saving for it for a while. I thought it was time to buy myself something nice, something I actually fit into," Finn answered, proud of his rather large 4x4 truck. "Crew cab, 4 wheel drive, and I got the tinted windows just for you," he said, winking at Kurt as he did so. "Can't be too careful when I'm chauffeuring around a celebrity, now can I?"

"Oh my God, Finn, I'm not a dang celebrity," Kurt laughed.

"Close enough…and you have to admit it looks pretty cool," he grinned like the overgrown kid he still was.

"Very cool. Now take me home in this…monstrosity," Kurt teased back.

"Thelma's for lunch?" Finn asked with a knowing smirk.

"OH MY GOD, YESSS!" Kurt all but shouted. "Onion rings…I really want onion rings!"

"Nobody tells Carol, now, you hear me?" Burt warned, rolling his eyes.

"Not gonna be anything to tell, Burt. You're having a salad and tea," Finn replied, hauling Kurt's suitcase into the back seat of the huge vehicle.

"I think I'm allowed to splurge a little now and again, don't you?" Burt argued.

"You are, by all means, and that second piece of pecan pie you had after dinner last night was it for a few days," Finn winked. "Yes, I noticed."

"Spoilsport…" Burt huffed but climbed up into the truck rolling his eyes.

"So tell me what's been going on, bro, and where's uh…where's Lars?" Finn asked, shooting a questioning look at Burt while Kurt stared out the window as they pulled on to the highway.

"He decided to go home this year," Kurt said quickly. Too quickly. Burt and Finn shared another look but didn't push it. "Did Rachel make it in okay ?" Kurt asked, changing the subject.

"She did. She's home with her dads, snug as a bug in a rug, I'm sure," Finn grinned as he drove.

"And you'd know that because?"

"I dropped her off there after I picked her up from the airport yesterday," Finn replied, and his grin was peeking out.

"Oh God, we're not gonna do this again, are we, Finn? I mean, every time you guys—"

"Nothing's going on, Kurt. We're past it, over it and just…friends. That's all, just friends now, ok? You should try it sometime…you know, just being friends with people you used to know in high school. It's still entertaining to see what people are up to, right? Like…being famous and—"

"Enough. No, Finn. We've been through this, talked it to death, discussed it until rigor mortis set in and then some…you, Rachel, Mercedes…DAD. I know you all think you're being cute or whatever it is you're doing, but that's history and I don't…I don't need that in my life right now. In fact, I've gone to great measures to make sure that part of my life doesn't seep out into the present," Kurt continued, obviously flustered. "It'd do more harm than good with him being who he is and me being…me. We're not the kids we used to be. I'm thrilled for Blaine, but I think we all know - in fact the whole damn world knows - that Blaine is a successful singer, songwriter, performer, PARTNER to…what's his name…that guy…his…um…anyway. There's really no point in badgering me, Finn. You, either, Dad. So can we just…not?" Kurt was definitely flustered. He knew he was, and could feel his cheeks turning pink as the truck barreled on down the highway toward Lima. Finn glanced back to make sure Kurt wasn't looking and then gave Burt a look that clearly said: _"Geez, what's up with him?"_

Kurt just wanted to be home. Home was Ohio…his family…Carole's cooking on Christmas Day…picking out the tree…exchanging gifts…baking cookies…and always, without a doubt, every single time…comments about Blaine. Because obviously, Kurt didn't have enough of his own thoughts about Blaine.

 **Chapters get longer as the story goes on, I promise. :) Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**That was a short chapter. You deserve more! ;)**

Chapter 3

This happened every time he came home, every time some of "their group " got together. And they weren't even "together", just some of them back in town…home, as it were…for the holidays. But someone always brought up his history with Blaine, despite the fact that both of them were in very long-term relationships now. Well…Blaine was. Everyone knew it...teenagers of both genders, the population of the world, every magazine and talk show host, guests, audience members…they all knew it.

Although Blaine was on the internet, on TV, on the radio and on the cover of every entertainment magazine currently published, Kurt hadn't actually seen Blaine in person since things went South between them during Blaine's senior year after Kurt moved to New York. Sure, they'd spoken on the phone several times just after their break up. There had been the returning of personal items and such just after Blaine had admitted to…what happened. And Kurt had even had a good, long time to think about things back then, when he was holed up in the chilly loft in Bushwick with nobody but Rachel and Elliott to talk to about it – his New York friends who knew how hard he'd been working, how he'd been busting his ass at Vogue and at school. It was mostly Rachel who knew how often Kurt skipped meals and sleep to talk to Blaine instead, and he never complained…but…it wasn't enough…for either of them, apparently.

Of course, everyone in Lima had heard and seen Blaine's side of the story first hand, how he'd felt left behind and alone, how Kurt wasn't answering his calls and was missing Skype dates. Kurt hadn't tried to change their minds or tell them his side of the story. Truth be told, it was easier not to - to make a clean break from Lima, bury the hurt and just try to move on. And he had…oh, he really had.

It only took another two semesters of Cassie July and her type to convince Kurt that NYADA wasn't what he needed or even wanted anymore. He was having more fun and learning so much more from working at Vogue with Isabelle Wright. So when he was offered a golden opportunity at Vogue that, unfortunately, would clash with his class schedule, he made one of the biggest decisions of his life and went with fashion instead of performing. He'd never looked back.

Kurt now worked with the crème de la crème of the fashion world on a daily basis and he still considered Isabelle his fairy godmother. Of course, nowadays, Kurt worked side by side with Isabelle…not for her. He'd moved up Vogue's corporate ladder with lightning speed, despite his age, and it didn't surprise anyone who knew him at all. His ability to work with anyone they threw at him, and make them look damn good, earned Kurt the reputation of "miracle worker", a title that fit him like a glove, and he wore it like a badge of honor.

Kurt had met Lars on a photo shoot shortly after Vogue hired him full time. Lars had been the architect on a project they were shooting, having designed not only the home where the shoot took place but every piece of furniture in it as well. Kurt had dressed every model for the spread and had carefully avoided clashing with the colors already in the house.

They'd been friends first but found that there was a spark they wanted to investigate further. That had been at least 8 years ago, Kurt remembered- why couldn't he recall the exact date now? Either way, they'd had a great time over those eight years…mostly. As with any relationship, there had been arguments, disagreements and times when things just didn't seem…right. More recently there had been in-depth discussions about things that made Kurt shudder to think about, but the days following some of those conversations were some of the clearest thinking he'd done in years. Yes…Lars was, first and foremost, a very good friend, and he saw Kurt for what he was and didn't take advantage of it or try to profit from it. His straight talk was often just what Kurt needed to motivate himself to do what needed to be done, and Kurt appreciated that most of all. Telling his family that Lars had moved his things out weeks ago, and that their romantic relationship had ended a long time ago, would be hard, but it had to be done. Kurt couldn't take any more questions for which there were no honest answers. It was time to come clean.


	4. Chapter 4

Anything in italics is a flashback of a previous conversation.

 **Chapter 4**

"Oh, Blaine!" Pam gushed as Blaine tugged his wheeled carry on through the airport terminal toward her. His smile was unmistakable, but even the sharpest of fans would have to look closely to find him under his disguise. He'd let his hair grow out considerably since his last scheduled public appearance and his facial hair had all but taken over the rest of his head. But there was no hiding from Pam Anderson, no sir.

"Mom…there's a reason I'm dressed the way I am, and it's not so you can yell my name out in the middle of a crowded airport," he laughed, hugging her tightly.

"Oh, stop! I know, I'm just…I'm just happy to see you, that's all. Should I call you Squirt like Cooper does?"

"Only if you want me to get back on the plane and head home," he smiled, but he paused as if giving her a second to think about her choice.

"Smarty," she snarked and punched his arm. "You look…different," Pam added, patting him on the cheek – what she was able to find of it – and gave him that smile that made his heart light and his eyes sparkle.

"I'm just trying to fly under the radar, that's all. The last thing I need or want is to be recognized out like this, with you, and have absolutely nobody with me to stop a stampede. You could be hurt, Mom, and I don't want that. Let's just grab my bags and get out of here, shall we?"

"You're all alone? Completely? No bodyguards?"

"Completely, and while I often long for solitude, I don't mind saying I'm still skittish in public without 'em. Did you drive?"

"I did," she said proudly. "I thought maybe you and I could grab lunch together before we head home and into the fray."

"I would actually really love that. Just us?"

"Just us, baby boy."

"I'm in. Lead the way. And Mom?"

"Yes, love?" she asked, turning to meet his eyes as he raised his sunglasses.

"I've missed you, and I'm really glad to be home."

"Oh, Blaine…" Pam sighed, taking him in her arms again to hug him tightly. "I'm so very glad you're here, too."

The ride to the diner was short. Despite its proximity to Columbus, Ohio and the airport there, Westerville was fairly small. Blaine and Pam settled into a booth in the back section of a small diner that had been on the main drag for years. They'd come there since Blaine was just a boy, often sharing burgers and ice cream for special occasions such as a good report card or a competition win with the Warblers while he was at Dalton. It was their place and Blaine felt comfortable there even if it was now miles away from either place he considered "home": L.A. or Wapakoneta, OH.

"Well, as I live and breathe…"

"Hello, Marge," Blaine grinned widely, standing to hug the woman as she squeezed him tightly.

"I'd ask how you've been, but clearly you've been just fine, darlin'! On the cover of every magazine, blog and album around these days, aren't ya? I'm so proud of you, I could bust!" she gushed. "Home for the holidays?"

"I am. I haven't been home just to visit in way too long."

"I'll say," Pam added. "Almost didn't recognize him at the airport!"

"Well, I can't say as I'd have known him, myself, if you weren't sittin' here with him. Looks like a small rodent took up residence on your noggin, half pint. What's up with that?" Marge teased him.

"Gotta lay low nowadays. And if we're being honest, which we are, it gets old, ya know? I've never been one to shy away from the spotlight before, but…maybe I've outgrown it, who knows? Some days I just want some peace and quiet, and there's not much of that to be found in L.A., smack dab in the heart of the city."

"Sounds like someone needs a change of pace?" Marge offered. Blaine just rolled his eyes and shrugged. Change of pace, indeed. "Your usual?"

"Absolutely, and could you—"

"Make the tater tots well done? Yes, sweetness, I will absolutely do that for Blaine Anderson any day of the week," she grinned, pinching his cheek as she'd done for years since he was barely a teenager. "And for you, lovely lady?"

"Just a bowl of vegetable soup today, please. I had a huge breakfast," Pam replied with a smile that told the world exactly who Blaine favored in the looks department.

"Coming right up, folks!"

Blaine stared across the table at his Mom, taking her in and noticing a fine line here and there that he hadn't seen the last time he'd been in town. Time was slipping away and although he enjoyed what he did for a living, it wasn't…it. Something was missing. Something besides Seth, anyway.

"So, spill it, sweetheart. What's eating at you? Because you've been just a short step above sullen for weeks. Is it work? Are you feeling well? Are you and Seth arguing?"

"It's hard to argue with someone who's not there," Blaine mumbled. Pam merely cocked her head to the side and Blaine took a deep breath. He'd be lying if he told her he'd been blindsided…

 _"Honest to God, Blaine, how do you think we're going to keep this up when you're obviously not 100% in it? I understand that you're insanely busy with work and everything that entails, and I don't begrudge you that at all, but…c'mon, man. You have to know that things have been strained for a long time now. It's not just me, right?"_

 _Blaine took in a deep breath and stared at himself in the bathroom mirror. On the other side of the partially open door stood the man who'd been a constant in his life for the better part of the last decade, and Blaine knew Seth was right…and he also knew he owed Seth a hell of a lot more than what he'd given him lately._

 _"Maybe_ it's just work _? I mean, I've been finishing up in the studio with Phil and the guys. I know I've been tired lately when I get home, and I'm sorry, Seth, I really am. I'll do better…" Blaine trailed off, still staring at himself before finally letting his eyelids fall shut. "They have that energy drink stuff at the studio. I could try that and maybe—"_

 _"Blaine."_

 _That one word spoke volumes and Blaine refused to move…refused to open his eyes to see Seth standing there behind him now. He felt his chest tighten up and wrapped his fingers around the edge of the bathroom counter._

 _"Blaine…look at me. Please…honey, we've been through way too much to beat around the bush with each other. It's time. I know it, you know it—"_

 _"And then everyone else will know it," Blaine whispered out, eyes clenched shut. "Or do they already?" It wasn't an accusation, just a question. Blaine finally found the strength to open his eyes and met Seth's in the mirror. "Please…do_ n't _…."_

 _"Sweetheart, you know I love you. You were my first real love, and…oh God, Blaine, can we not do this in the bathroom? Come here. Sit with me," Seth pleaded as he tugged Blaine out of the bathroom and lead him to their bed._

 _"Can we just not do this at all?" Blaine asked quietly._

 _"You know better than that. You deserve better than what we have, Blaine. We've talked about this…often extensively, especially when you drink," Seth smirked, but there was not even the slightest hint of malice behind it. "And when you sleep_ _and talk in your sleep…"_

 _"I'm sorry. I won't drink. I'll stop cold turkey. I'll stop sleeping, just don't go. Please, Seth. You know I love you—"_

 _"Oh, Blaine, I do. I do know you love me, and I love you more…which is why I can't keep you here. I can't, Blaine. It's unfair to both of us. I love you…and you love him. You always have," Seth grinned_ sadly _as if speaking to a toddler about why the flower they picked the day before was now wilted and half dead. "He was your first love and you've never gotten over him, B. I get that, I really do. By all accounts, he's an amazing, witty, intelligent man, and it's clear as the nose on my face that he's handsome as hell. You need to see if there's anything still there with him_ _because this…this is driving you batty and we both know it."_

 _"Seth, no—"_

 _"Blaine. Stop this. It's ok for you to have feelings for him, and I understand that. I really do, and I respect that you have been the most perfect boyfriend ever, doing everything in your power to make me happy. You have been unfailingly faithful, generous to a fault, loving and sweet and everything I could possibly ask for. The only thing you're not is…_ mine _. You're still his, Blaine, and I have to accept that. And because I love you – God Blaine, so much - I'm letting you go. You need to go after him, honey, and do whatever it is you have to do to get him back_ _because I think, hand to God, that's the only way you're ever going to be truly happy. And Jesus, Blaine, for as amazing as you are and as good as you are to everyone around you – fans, friends, family, all of it – you deserve every happiness. I'm also very well aware that there's no way you'll ever find that if you're saddled here with me."_

 _"But Seth, I don't feel saddled. How can you say that? And…it won't matter anyway. I can't have him. He's not mine for the taking. He's in a_ _long-term relationship with someone he cares for very much. We still have mutual friends, and I hear things…and it's not hard to find out, anyway. His name is mentioned in every fashion blog from here to Timbuktu. He's on talk shows and magazine covers. His personal life is everywhere, just like any big name."_

 _"Just like your 'big name', Blaine?" Seth teased. Blaine ignored the comment and barreled on._

 _"But the bottom line is that we're here, and we're good together, aren't we?" Blaine asked, panic clear in his voice. "I mean, I thought…unless…unless it's you who doesn't want me anymore? Is there…do you want out? Is there someone else?" Blaine asked,_ _a hint of hurt and maybe even irritation in his question. Seth wouldn't meet his eyes._

 _"Blaine…"_

 _"Oh…well, this is fantastic. Not only are you using Kurt as an excuse to dump me, but you're already seeing someone. Should I grab my laptop and see how long it takes me to find out who it is? I'm sure some crazy pap has been snapping photos left and right and now and I'll be just the pathetic, cuckolded boyfriend—"_

 _"BLAINE!" Seth said with more force behind it. He let out a long, slow breath through his nose and grabbed Blaine's hand. "You are anything but pathetic for God's sake! Is that what you're worried about? What people will say a_ _bout us now? Who left who behind? We're_ not _sleeping together, Greg and me. I promise you this. I wouldn't do that to you while we're still together. But he and I, we have…something. I need to explore that and…and let you get on with things."_

 _"Why?" Blaine asked, his voice a bit stronger now. The very last thing he wanted to be was pathetic, begging for Seth to stay if he wanted out. But this…this hurt._

 _"Honey…we were so good together for so long. You know it, I know it, everyone else knows it. But can you truly look me in the eye and say that you're in love with me? And that if you had your choice between me and your Kurt, that you'd choose me? I want you to be honest with me, B. I'm not angry, and I'm not going to get angry. I just want you to be honest with yourself. If Kurt Hummel walked through that door ten minutes from now and told you he was a free man and he'd been pining for you all these years, would you tell him to bug off, that you were happy with me and then wish him a good life as you slammed the door?"_

 _Blaine felt the hot tears blur his vision and he clenched his eyes shut tightly to hold them back. His face physically hurt from trying to keep calm and not show the emotion that was roaring to get out. Could he? Could he do that? Would he tell Kurt to get lost if there was even the slightest chance that he could have "them" back again?_

 _"Why do I feel like my chest is going to implode?" he choked out. Seth slid an arm around him, tugging him in tightly as he rubbed circles on Blaine's back._

 _"There will be no scandal, Blaine. Greg is…a friend…my very good friend. He's very well aware of who you are, who I am and what is happening between us. He knows how big the stakes are and the damage that even the slightest misstep could cause. He knows just how angry any misstep would make me, I promise. He knows that I still care for you very much and I have no intention of making this hard on you. He's a good man, Blaine. You'd probably like him, actually. I've told him countless good things about you and he respects you and he knows that you're a damn fine human being as well as an insanely talented artist. You have to believe me. There will be no sightings of Greg and me together until you're ready for that. I will make you that promise because I truly care about you, and you don't need that on top of everything else."_

 _"Everything else?" Blaine asked, confused._

 _"Wes called the other night and I picked up your phone…" Seth replied, eyes on the bedspread now. Blaine let his own head droop. "I guess he assumed you'd told me about his offer. I'm sorry, I absolutely had no intention of dipping in your business, Blaine." Blaine merely nodded. "Have you decided what you're going to do?"_

 _"Not yet. It's a huge decision. I'm not sure I can just walk away from…everything. Even if I wanted to, I have contracts and appearances I'm tied to."_

 _"But it's what you love, B. Songwriting is what you do and who you are. It's in your blood and you know as well as I do that, deep down inside, you're jonesing to write for Wes. And the traveling would be so much less, I'd think, right? I know that's taking its toll on you, babe. You're never home." With a deep sigh he continued. "Again…you deserve to be happy, Blaine. I don't want to tell you what to do, but if you have the chance to do what truly makes you happy, please…grab that with both hands and don't let go. Life is too short to be only 'marginally happy' if you can reach out and grab 'absolutely fantastic' by the horns and hold on to it. You do what's best for you, and don't stress about your team. Everyone else will be fine. You've seen to that."_

 _"Why are you being so kind about all of this?" Blaine asked quietly. They lived in a 20th-floor condo with soundproof walls because of Blaine's music. They could carry on, yell and scream for hours and nobody would hear a thing, yet Blaine spoke as if a baby was asleep in the room._

 _"I truly respect the person that you are, Blaine. We've been together for a long, long time and during that time you have been so good to me. You didn't always have to be. I know I'm a lot to handle sometimes, and my family hasn't exactly been easy on either of us, but you've been…pretty damn amazing. I love you for being true to yourself no matter what life or the execs threw at you. I'm honored that you chose to keep me around and share the spoils of all of your hard work. But I can't keep you from your own happiness anymore, B. You deserve so much, and if I could drag you to him and force the issue, I would. I want that for you, Blaine. I want to see you holding his hand on the red carpet while I'm sitting at home on the sofa eating popcorn and cheering you on."_

 _"I think you're just too good for me and you're just now realizing it," Blaine_ quipped, _trying for levity and almost succeeding._

 _"I'm sure it's the other way around. Please, Blaine…do what's going to make you happy…with Wes and with Kurt. Please just try. Don't look back 20 years from now and have 'I wish I would haves" hanging all around you. Promise me you'll make absolutely sure he's off the market before you give up hope?"_

 _"We'll see," Blaine forced out, his words choked off as he stood and walked around the bed. There, by the door, sat a pile of suitcases and bags that didn't belong to him. "Are you…" Blaine began, then noticed the closet which he could clearly see, now, was half empty. Seth had obviously been busy while Blaine was out of town. With a deep_ _breath, he just nodded and turned to look out the window at the city lights below._

 _"Call me if you need me. I'm not joking and I won't allow it to get awkward. We've been a team for too long to throw that all in the shitter and shoot ourselves in the foot over it. Promise me?" Seth asked, and it was just short of pleading._

 _Blaine nodded, unable to force words out. His personal life was crumbling and he didn't want to face it. But, deep down, he knew Seth was absolutely right. He'd never been able to let go of Kurt…not completely…and it wasn't fair to Seth to live in that shadow._

 _"I'll see myself out, then."_

 _"I do love you, Seth," Blaine said as if he was speaking to the city itself._

 _"And I love you. I probably always will," he said, taking a few steps backward toward the door. "But I'll never be your 'Kurt'…even if you'll always be mine," Seth whispered, and then softly closed the door._

"Oh…sweetheart. Why in the world didn't you call me?" Pam asked, watching her son stare holes in the old Formica tabletop. She had known, without a doubt, that something wasn't right. Reaching across the table she wrapped her slim fingers around his hand and felt him squeeze back.

"I wasn't really in any frame of mind to discuss it, Mom. I'm sorry. It's not that I think I can't talk to you or that I didn't want to. It's just that…well, honestly for a little bit it was just…surreal. Seth has been there, in the condo, for the past five years. It's a lot to get used to, coming home to an empty place all the time. And I've had a lot on my mind, what with Wes' offer and everything."

"What, exactly, is Wes offering?"

"He's looking for someone to write music…the score…for a show that he's going to be producing and maybe even directing. It's still in its beginning stages, but Wes seems to think this particular show will be right up my alley."

"And what do _you_ think?" Pam asked, head tilted to the side as she studied him.

"I think it's a huge decision. It will take up a big chunk of my time and may even require me to…to relocate. Wes is in New York now. And the show is in New York as well. We're almost done with my album. We have one more song to perfect and then it's complete. After that, I think I can get out of most of my obligations for a little bit, and my contract is...well, it was for three albums. After this, I'm free, pretty much. Lou says when I'm done with Wes I can always come back, that they have no doubts that what I bring to the table is the real deal."

"Ok, so you sound pretty well decided on that front. But what do you think about-?"

"Moving? I mean…I guess I'll have to. I suppose I could get an apartment in New York and keep the condo in L.A. but why? And I still have the house to consider—"

"I think you're avoiding my question on purpose, B."

"I answered your question," Blaine smirked.

"Don't you play dumb with me, Blaine Anderson. What do you think about Kurt?"

"Everything. There's not a day that's gone by that I haven't thought about Kurt."


	5. Chapter 5

Again, the section in italics is a previous conversation.

 **Chapter 5**

Being back in his old house was such a culture shock for Kurt. He absolutely loved New York City and his loft in Manhattan with its expensive furniture and its exposed brick walls. But this, his home in Lima, was better than anything he could ever hope to attain in New York City. Because home meant family, and nothing was more important to Kurt Hummel than family. Absolutely nothing.

"You're here!" Carole all but hollered when she came in through the door from the garage. "Oh, Kurt, you're home!"

"I'm home!" he bellowed back, and rushed into the hug she offered, still wearing her heavy, winter coat. "How's your Aunt Penny?"

"Oh, she's as ornery as ever, but the doctors say she should recover just fine. Of course, she's in some pain, but they had her pretty comfortable with pain medication before I left. She asked about you," Carole chuckled.

"And that's amusing why? I'm almost afraid to ask, actually."

"She said 'how's that stepson of yours doing? Do you get all the good dirt on his sexcapades? I'd try that face timing thing out just for the juicy info.' And then she cackled like a mad woman and fell asleep on me!"

"Oh my God…" Kurt finally said, bright red and unable to make eye contact. "She's certifiable, isn't she?" Kurt chuckled as he went back to cutting out shapes in the cookie dough Carole left in the refrigerator.

"She is that, for sure! I told them they'd have their hands full with her. She insisted on bringing her family photos with her to the hospital in her bag so she'll have them in the rehab facility. I had to set them out all over the windowsill in her hospital room, and then I'll have to go back and pack 'em all up again to move to the rehab place. She had a photo of all of us from the wedding. Your dad looked so handsome in his tux. Of course, you and Finn looked handsome as well…and Blaine."

Kurt paused, suddenly feeling his pulse quicken. Blaine. Again. Kurt couldn't shake him. Of course, Burt and Carole had always loved him like another son. Kurt took a deep breath and tried to keep it together. If only they knew how often Blaine had been on his mind lately, and all the photos on the wall in the family room didn't do much to help him forget. Blaine was everywhere…still.

"He's in that photo, too, actually. The two of you were so cute together back in the day. That was when we'd first met him, wasn't it? I swear, some days I….Kurt? Oh, honey, have I said something wrong? I'm sorry, I didn't mean—"

"No, Carole, I'm sorry. Just…give me a minute, please. I'll be right back, I promise," Kurt muttered, then made haste up the stairs to his room. Suddenly his skin felt too small, like he was going to burst or fly apart. Every single mention of Blaine made him feel unsteady, uncertain and unstable.

The memories of his Dad and Carole's wedding smacked him in the face like a brick. He couldn't help but think of dancing with Blaine to slow songs with all of their friends around. It was such a fantastic day and he hadn't thought about it in way too long. He was pretty sure he had the same photograph that Carole was talking about somewhere in his own home…of course, it was probably in the box…the box that had been the beginning of the end of things with Lars.

He felt like a teenager again, flopping face first onto his bed sideways to let his feet dangle over the edge. Why, after all this time, was he so sensitive to thinking about and talking about Blaine again? He'd gotten over that long ago, hadn't he? It was all in the past. Blaine was in a relationship now with someone else and Kurt was, too. Well, he _had_ been. Now…well, he was pretty certain Lars wasn't coming back anytime soon. And he was strangely ok with that, more so than he'd thought he would be when Lars left.

The knock on the door startled him but he knew right away who it was.

"Come on in, Dad," he smirked. "And before you ask, I'm fine."

"Are you? Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is the _dramatic-high-school-my-life-is-over-Kurt-Hummel-position_ if I'm not mistaken," Burt teased.

"Oh, hardy-har-har," Kurt snarked back, rolling his eyes at his dad.

"Carole's worried about you. She said she was talking about you and Blaine and our wedding and you just bolted. Wanna tell me what's going on with you?"

"Nothing's 'going on', Dad. I just...I dunno…" Kurt began, but couldn't find the right words.

"His name has come up twice and you've shut down both times. I thought you'd worked through this years ago, Kurt. I sure didn't think just the mention of Blaine's name would send you reeling ten years later."

"It's not just the mention of his name, Dad. It's just…some things have…transpired…lately…and I'm just…kinda up in the air about…myself? I don't know how to explain it."

"Well, why don't you start with why you didn't tell me the whole truth about Lars, because you've always been a terrible liar, Kiddo," Burt smirked. Kurt just took a deep breath and let his eyes fall closed as he dropped his head back to the mattress and let out a long 'uggghhhhhh…'.

 _"Are you here?"_

 _"Yeah…yeah, I'm…I'm in here, Kurt."_

 _"Where?" Kurt laughed, walking into the bedroom where he'd thought he'd heard Lars yelling._

 _"I'm actually…I'm in here, in the closet."_

 _"Well, that's rich. I think that ship has sailed, honey. You're not in the closet any longer. Everybody knows…" Kurt teased, walking toward the open door where he found Lars sitting on the floor with his back to Kurt. Lars huffed out a breathy little laugh that didn't sound humorous at all. "Why are you sitting on the floor?"_

 _"You…you lied to me, Kurt," he said softly. Kurt was a little taken aback, then, eyes wide._

 _"W-what?_ I lied _? About wh—"_

 _"I flat out asked you when your stepmother mentioned your_ ex was _named Blaine. I jokingly asked you if you were keeping your sordid past with a famous rock star a secret from me…and you told me no, in no uncertain terms, even laughed at my ridiculousness. And today I was in here, trying to find that box of photographs my mom sent to me last Christmas…and I stumbled upon this…"_

 _"Honey…its' not…we're not…we—"_

 _"Is this him? It is, isn't it? This is the guy you can't seem to get out of your system. I knew there had to have been someone. It's obvious…plain as the nose on my face, really. I have felt, for years, as if you were holding back, not 'all in' like I wanted you to be…like I needed you to be. I…I don't even know what to say about any of it. Correct me if I'm terribly wrong, Kurt, but this is a box full of memories of you and a young Blaine Anderson, yes?"_

 _"I…we…" Kurt stuttered and stumbled out. "Yes. We…we knew one another in high school…we dated briefly."_

 _"Briefly?" Lars huffed out, the look on his face a cross between annoyed and amused if that was even possible. "Briefly, here in the States, must mean over a period of years, because damn it, Kurt, there are more memories in this one box than you've had with me in almost 8 years! There are photographs from formal affairs and weddings, singing competitions and nights out on the town with friends. There are scrapbooks the likes of which I've never seen, Kurt. And some of these letters—"_

 _"You READ the letters?!" Kurt nearly growled. "Lars, those are personal…I mean, I understand that the box is in our closet and that you stumbled upon it, but for God's sake, that doesn't mean you have permission to go through my personal things without my consent! Those things are very…very important to me. Those are precious memories of mine and I…I can't believe you thought it was ok to just read…" Kurt began, but his breath was hitching now and he was afraid if he kept talking he'd burst out crying._

 _"I'm not sorry, Kurt. I'd like to be able to say I am…or maybe not. The bottom line here is that you lied to me about him."_

 _"You're being crazy! You act as though I'm still dating him, or talking to him behind your back! I haven't spoken to Blaine in years, Lars. YEARS. I can't…I can't speak to him…I…" Kurt began, but seeing all of his things…his important 'Blaine things' tossed carelessly onto the floor in a pile made him angry._

 _"Regardless of whether you spoke with him 10 hours ago or 10 years ago, he's clearly still very important to you, isn't he?"_

 _"We…we had something I…it was…different…special…very important to me. But that's all in the past now. He's happy with his long-time boyfriend and I'm with you—"_

 _"Ha! I notice you didn't say you're happy with me, though," Lars replied, heat seeping into his voice. "You still have feelings for him, don't you?"_

 _"Oh, for goodness sake, Lars!"_

 _"Answer the question, Kurt."_

 _"You're being ridiculous!"_

 _"And you're evading."_

 _"It's ancient history, damn it!"_

 _"The relationship might be, but clearly the feelings aren't…are they?"_

 _"Listen to me, Lars. Blaine was my first love. He was, in a way, my hero…my savior. He showed me what it was to stand up for myself, that I wasn't diseased and worthless, I was just unique. He taught me that I needed to build on that uniqueness and stop thinking of it as being "different"._

 _"Did you love him?"_

 _"We were just teenagers!"_

 _"ANSWER ME, KURT!" Lars finally yelled, losing his temper. It didn't happen often, but when he did lose his cool, Kurt knew to take him seriously._

 _"I loved him with every fiber of my being. I wanted to spend every day of the rest of my life with him…and then he broke my heart into a million pieces."_

 _"So it's Blaine Anderson that I have to thank for your insecurities? It's his fault I get text messages asking where I am if I'm out a little too late for your liking? Because he screwed you over? Did he cheat on you?"_

 _"Stop it!" Kurt winced. Ten years didn't dull the pain that much._

 _"Oh, that's rich. He did, didn't he? What happened? You guys moved up here to the Big Apple and he found someone else?"_

 _"Please stop—"_

 _"Oh my God that's it, isn't it? He cheated on you?! The great and mighty fashion guru, Kurt Hummel, was cheated on by the big, bad rocker, Blaine Anderson. This is talk show gold, Kurt! I can't believe you haven't exploited this!" Lars babbled out, obviously unconcerned with the look of utter horror on Kurt's face._

 _"Absolutely not! No way in hell are you to mention Blaine's name in connection with mine outside of this apartment, do you hear me? It can't help either of us and I swear, you don't want to even THINK about how angry I'd be if you let one word of this slip out! Am I clear?"_

 _"Oh, Kurt…" Lars huffed out, unable to meet Kurt's eyes. "Everything makes so much FUCKING sense now!" Lars bellowed, making Kurt jump._

 _"Why are you being so mean about this? I can't even understand why you're angry! It has absolutely nothing to do with 'us', Lars. NOTHING!" Kurt said sternly._

 _"Oh, it has everything to do with 'us', Kurt. The way you can't truly commit, your complete and utter mistrust in me, and the lies…" he paused, head bowed. "The lies, Kurt…why didn't you just tell me?"_

 _"Honestly? Because I knew you'd want to exploit it, and it's none of anyone else's business, to be perfectly honest. Just look where your mind went as soon as you confirmed that it was **the** Blaine Anderson. You wanted to use it…and for what? I don't need or want that attention, Lars."_

 _"Well, maybe I don't care what it is you want_ _, anymore, Kurt."_

 _"I swear it, Lars, I'm so serious I don't even have words for it. Nothing good can come of dragging out my past with Blaine. We haven't been in contact since…since I moved here after graduation. There is nothing…I repeat, absolutely nothing…going on between us. Yes, those things in that box are important to me, but they're just things. They're THINGS, Lars. You are…so much more to me than 'things', and I'd really like to just put them away and not talk about this anymore this evening. Can we do that? Please?"_

 _Lars stared at him for a minute, contemplating and obviously saddened by the turn of events. He flicked his fingers through a small box full of tiny bowties shaped into rings, each one of them made from colorful little papers or shiny, metallic foil of some sort. There had to be three dozen of them in there. Lars shook his head slowly, then began replacing the items he'd dragged out onto the floor into the bigger box. Then, after moments of silence, he spoke with a bitter sneer, much to Kurt's horror._

 _"Must be some kinda life you're living, Kurt, knowing that your cherry was popped by the one and only Blaine Anderson. If I wasn't so hurt and angry right now I might be jealous."_

"Then he replaced the lid, put the box back up on the shelf and walked out of the closet and the apartment. That was months ago. When I came home from Paris, all of his things were gone. He won't answer my calls or my texts, so I'm assuming he's done with our relationship."

"Kid…why didn't you tell me all this when it happened?"

"Well, for one, it was a little unsettling and I was kinda hoping he'd calm down and be there one day when I came home. For another, I knew you'd look at me like you're looking at me right now, with pity and sadness and I just can't handle that, so please stop. I'm ok, I really am."

"I'm inclined to believe you, partially," Burt told him, shaking his head slowly with a huff of breath.

"Partially?"

"I think you're absolutely ok with the fact that Lars is gone. I never thought he was the one for you, not all the time you were together. You got along ok, for the most part, and that was ok for the time being, but he wasn't your…true love. I think we both know that, don't we?" Burt asked. Kurt just shrugged, eyes downcast, but he knew his dad was right. "I don't, however, think you're anywhere near ok with him going through your box of…memories. I think that shook you up more than you care to admit, didn't it?"

Kurt looked uncertain for a minute, even sheepish, but he knew Burt was right.

"After he left, I got the box back down and re-read the letters. I wanted to be prepared for what could potentially 'come out' if he blabbed to the press about Blaine and me. I needed to be absolutely certain what those letters contained."

"And?" Burt prodded. Kurt merely shrugged, suddenly very interested in the fine weave of his bedspread.

"And it all came rushing back…every last, little bit of it. Every conversation, every laugh, every movie night on the sofa sharing popcorn and—"

"And that's enough of that. I have nightmares about the things that were probably 'shared' on that sofa when you kids were in high school," Burt teased. "You miss Blaine, don't ya?"

"So much. I've had an awful lot of time to think about it, about what happened and who was at fault when we broke up. There was so much more to it than Blaine cheating on me, and I didn't do nearly enough to make anyone else aware of that. I let him take the fall for everything, and that's not fair. It wasn't fair then and it's not fair now. But, I guess at this point, that's neither here nor there. He's with…what's his name? Seth, I think? By all accounts they're happy together. Getting in touch with Blaine now would only cause me grief and I'm sure it wouldn't be comfortable for him either."

"I always did like Blaine. I knew there was more to the story than him cheating. A blind person could have seen that. But when he came over here—"

"Blaine came over here?! When?"

"After…everything. He…he said he needed to apologize to me and to Carole for causing us any undue stress. We talked for a long time, Kurt. That kid…he was hurting. He was lonely and he hated himself for what happened. At some points I felt like I was talking him down from a ledge, you know it? I was scared…even called Pam and talked to her about it. She said he wasn't eating, wasn't sleeping, wasn't going out with the glee kids anymore. His grades were slipping and he'd pretty much given up on college. He said without you it didn't matter anyway."

"Oh my God, Dad, how could you not tell me any of this?" Kurt asked, eyes full of tears and shoulders slumped.

"He asked me not to…made me give him my word that I'd leave it be and not interfere. He said if you were going to forgive him and offer him another chance, it had to be because you wanted him back, not because you felt guilty or because of the things you heard from anyone else but him. He said you'd talked, that he told you what happened and that you gave him your version of events. He was so sorry for what happened, Kurt. Never seen anyone so remorseful in my life. But I gave him my word, and I feel kinda crappy having told you now, even 10 years later."

Kurt looked broken and Burt almost felt guilty for a minute, but it was time Kurt knew what had gone down while he'd been away, living his life in New York City as his first love struggled back in Lima without him.

"Tell me something, Kurt. If you picked up one o' them rags at the supermarket tomorrow and read that Blaine and Stuart—"

"Seth, Dad…"

"Seth…if they weren't a 'thing' anymore, would you give Blaine a call?"

Kurt considered it for a minute, then shrugged. "I don't know. I can't answer that. So much has changed. We've both changed a lot, I'm sure. Maybe he's not the boy I once knew."

"And maybe he is?"

"Maybe he is. Who knows?"

"And if he showed up here, on our doorstep, Christmas Eve the way he did for years…would you invite him in?"

"Well, I'm fairly certain that won't happen because at last check, he was living in L.A. But yes, I'd invite him in. We've grown up, Dad, and life's too short to hold grudges, right? Someone pretty smart taught me that once."

"Is that right? Well, just think about it, Kurt. Life's also too short to live with 'what ifs', and it sounds like you have a big 'what if' hangin' off o' your shoulders right now. So…all that being said, I believe there's cookie dough downstairs calling your name," Burt grinned, ruffling Kurt's hair the same as he'd always done since Kurt could stand up.

"Thanks, Dad."

"For what?"

"For everything…always."

"Anytime, kid. Anytime."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"Please deliver me from this eternal hell…"

"Suck it up, Squirt. These are the perks o' being famous. I'll give you a crash course sometime," Cooper teased, nudging Blaine in the shoulder.

"Please…as if," Blaine snarked back at him. "We'll go out tomorrow to the mall and see who gets mobbed first."

"I'll win, hands down, because nobody will recognize you with that rabid squirrel growing on your face."

"Shut up, you ass…"

"Blaine Devon, language…"

"Sorry, Granny. Cooper's being mean to me, though."

"Cooper James, don't you make me take the bread board to your backside. You're not too big for me to turn over my knee, young man."

"Yes, ma'am," Cooper sulked. "She always did like you better…" he stage-whispered to Blaine.

"I know she did…and still does, obviously," Blaine grinned, winking at his Granny. Granny merely rolled her eyes and shook her head at their antics.

"Oh, Blaine! I can't find the shredded cheese I need for the top of my appetizers. It was in the soft cooler with the tomato that I was going to dice up. Did you grab it? I thought you grabbed it!" Pam asked, clearly agitated.

"I had the bags of gifts and the grocery tote full of soda and wine! Ask Cooper. SOMEONE walked out of our house and came in this house empty-handed."

All eyes turned to Cooper who had the presence of mind to look sheepish for all of 3 seconds before shrugging and ducking out of the kitchen. Pam's shoulders fell as she poked through her mother's refrigerator coming up empty-handed. No shredded cheese and no tomato. With a heavy sigh she turned to look at Blaine.

"Yes! Yes, I'm happy to run to the grocery store. Yes, I will do anything to get out of this house. Who told Sidney I was coming, anyway? She brought that girl again! Give me keys?"

"You'll have to get Cooper's keys. He has me blocked in."

"Oh for…you're kidding, right? You want me to drive to a grocery store in tiny St. Mary's, Ohio in Cooper's Ferrari and not draw any attention!?"

"It's dark, the car is black, nobody will notice. Park far from the store. Please just get me the cheese and the tomato so we can heat these up and get this show on the road?"

"I'm on it…"

"Thank you, sweetheart. Don't dawdle, now," Pam said, patting him on his hairy cheek. "Hurry back, mountain man," she grinned and winked at him.

"Shush, you!" he hissed, swatting at her hand as she laughed and ducked out of the room.

"Cooper! Give me keys!" Blaine bellowed, pushing through the swinging door in search of his brother. "I have to run to the store for Mom."

"No chance, Squirt. You probably can't reach the pedals—oooof! Moooom! Blaine hit me!"

"I'll go with you, Blaine!" cousin Sidney's friend squealed, launching herself from the sofa as she did so.

"NO! I mean...No, that's nice of you, but I'm perfectly capable of going on my own, thank you. COOPER! Keys!" Blaine said, eyes wide and frantic now. He just wanted to get out of the house without 'what's her name'.

"Give him your keys, Cooper James, or you can stand in the corner with your nose pressed into the plaster like you did when you were five. Stop tormenting your brother!"

"Oh my God, why is it always me? He started it by hitting me!" Cooper whined. Pam gave her sternest glare and Cooper relented, handing over the keys. "DON'T wreck my car, Squirt. I swear…"

"Well, damn it, there went that grand plan…"

"Blaine Devon! Language!"

"Sorry, Gran! Back in a few," Blaine grinned maniacally and headed out the front door. "Freeeedommmmmmm…." he sang loudly, ala George Michael.

He would never admit to Cooper how far he had to move the seat up in the Ferrari. No, he would not. Not ever. But he had to admit, the car was fun to drive. It cornered like it was on rails and he was sure he could hit 180 miles per hour easily if he had the room to test it out. Clearly, St. Mary's wasn't a drag strip kind of town, so he kept his speed within the acceptable numbers and drove to the nearest grocery, praying they'd be open since it was Christmas Eve.

He'd barely made it through the front doors when they made the announcement. "Attention shoppers, your friendly neighborhood Kroger store will be closing in ten minutes. Please make your final selections and move to the checkout at the front of the store. Thank you for shopping your neighborhood Kroger store, and Merry Christmas."

"Shredded cheese, tomato….shredded cheese, tomato…shredded cheese, tomato…" he repeated to himself as he walked up and down a few aisles. It had been ages since he'd been in a grocery store, truth be told. He had someone to do that for him now…not because he was too good for that sort of thing, but because he was just too damn busy. That, and it wasn't always safe for him to be out and about in public. He was taking a huge risk being there alone, but he pretty much looked homeless these days with the hair and the beard thing going on, the store was all but deserted and he only needed two things, right? And where the hell was the – "Tomato!" he almost shouted, grabbing two ripe, on the vine tomatoes and shoving them in a thin, plastic bag.

"Cheese, cheese, cheese…" he chanted under his breath, then picked up his steps as he made his way to the other end of the store. "Dairy aisle, dairy aisle…" he sang quietly as he made his way through the frozen food section past a butt sticking out of an open freezer door…then stopped dead in his tracks. He let his eyes fall closed and inhaled deeply. "Get ahold of yourself, Anderson…" he whispered, then slowly turned around. "There's no way, there's _no way_ …." He said softly, staring at the bottom half of the man's body hanging out of the freezer door.

There, bent slightly over the Ben and Jerry's to see behind the front row of pints, was a pair of long, slender legs covered in the most sinfully tight pants he'd seen in a long, long time. Letting his eyes fall closed again, Blaine took a deep breath, then studied the man before him without his knowledge: long legs, tight, obviously custom tailored pants, obscenely expensive designer boots, this season's Burberry scarf elegantly, yet loosely wrapped around a slender, pale neck and shiny, chestnut hair styled to within an inch of its life. And the pièce de résistance …there was absolutely no mistaking that tight little tush he'd once worshiped. He prayed nobody else would come down their aisle because they'd surely think he was the biggest creep around.

His mind was still screaming, "It can't be," but Blaine was almost certain the man before him was the one and only Kurt Hummel. He'd passed right by him, his mind on other things, but the distinct scent of Chanel's Bleu stopped him dead…just as it had back in 2011. It had always been Kurt's favorite and, apparently, some things hadn't changed. Unbeknownst to his brain, Blaine's hand slowly reached forward to touch the man's sleeve. Without turning around, he spoke.

"Sorry…did you need to get in here?"

"N-no, I…"

"I'm almost done. The one I want is all the way back in the back. I have to move these to get to the last—"

"Cherry Garcia?"

"Yes, of course," he laughed. "How did you know?"

"Kurt?"

"Yes? How do you know my…" Kurt asked, standing up straight as he turned, then stared, then stood silently, head tilted, wondering who the man before him was.

"Kurt…" fell out of Blaine's mouth again without permission, and that rolled 'r' and crisp 't' were as unmistakable as ever.

"Blaine?" he asked, obviously uncertain. When Blaine merely nodded and smiled widely, Kurt's brain finally kicked in. The basket he'd been carrying crashed to the floor as they both stepped forward at the same time, arms extended and laughing. "OH my GOD, what are you DOING here!?" Kurt finally said, eyes wet with tears and a huge smile on his face as he squeezed Blaine for all he was worth. "Of all the freaking weird places to finally see you again!" They both held on tightly, pulling each other into the hug in the middle of the frozen food section.

"We were at my aunt's house…my mom forgot the tomatoes and cheese at home…"

"Carole needed whipped cream for a pie…forgot to buy it altogether, and never let it be said that Kurt Hummel passed the Ben and Jerry's without grabbing some Cherry Garcia," Kurt smirked, eyes bright now. He just stared at Blaine, his smile wide, and shook his head from side to side. "Look at you! Lord, Blaine, if I didn't know those eyes as well as my own I wouldn't have known it was you in there!" he teased.

"I had some down time…no appearances and all that ta-do. It's easier to get around without…" he shrugged. "You know…I know you know how it is…" Blaine grinned, blushing. Kurt merely nodded.

"I know what you mean, but I'm certain seeing me out in the grocery store isn't anything like running into ' _the_ Blaine Anderson' at Kroger in St. Mary's," Kurt snickered. Blaine turned even more pink.

"Good evening, Kroger shoppers…" blared again over the speakers and they both glanced at each other, unsure what to say or do.

"Did you get what you needed?" Kurt finally asked.

"Cheese…I have to grab cheese."

"Oh…ok, well…" Kurt said sadly, eyes downcast, then shifting around, unwilling to make eye contact with Blaine. "It was um…it was good to see you, Blaine—"

"Don't go? I mean, don't move. Let me get the cheese and I'll be right back. I…it's been way too long since we've talked. Do you have a few minutes you can spare an old friend?" Blaine asked, hoping that he didn't sound as desperate as he felt.

Kurt's answering smile said it all.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"So is it creepy if I tell you that I read all of the articles I come across that talk about you – about your career and everything…" Kurt said, nearly choking on his own words. That obviously came out more "stalker" than "interested party". Blaine only grinned at him. "What?"

"Nothing…" Blaine grinned, still staring.

"No, really, what?"

"Your eyes are still just as blue as they were back when I fell in love with them," Blaine grinned, shaking his head at his own words. "I'll shut up. I'm sorry, I don't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"No, it's not that. You're not, it's just…I dunno…thank you? I kinda feel like…recently I haven't felt like myself, so it's nice to hear yo—um…someone say that. Thanks."

"See, I did make you uncomfortable. I'm sorry, Kurt."

"No, you haven't. It's not that, it's just that this is sort of bizarre if you stop and think about it. I've seen your stuff everywhere, Blaine…your music…it's everywhere. Clearly you're doing well for yourself," Kurt said, motioning to the car they were currently sitting in.

"Huh? Oh! No, this isn't…this is Coop's car!" Blaine laughed. "I mean, yeah, I do alright for myself, but surely you didn't think I'd buy something as ostentatious as a Ferrari. Do I look like a Ferrari guy to you?"

Kurt shrugged. "I don't know…are you? I don't know you anymore. Maybe you've completely changed from the boy I once knew," Kurt teased. He felt like a crazy person, unable to wipe the smile from his face.

"No…I like to think I'm still that boy. I promised my Mom and my Granny that I wouldn't turn into some asshole and let fame get to me. I intend to keep that promise."

"I'm glad to hear it. I've always wondered…"

"If I turned into an asshole?"

Kurt tried not to laugh, but a snicker escaped anyway. "Yes, that…among other things," he said shyly, then glanced at his watch. "I feel like I should call. I walked here…it's just a few blocks and I needed some air. They'll think I was run down in the road like that song… _Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer_ or something."

Blaine burst out laughing and shook his head. "Call them…or text, but give me a few more minutes? I'll drop you off afterward."

Kurt nodded and texted his Dad.

 _Kurt: Ran into an old friend. Catching up, back in a bit. Didn't want you to worry. Love you._

 _Dad: Oh?_ Anyone _I know?_

 _Kurt: Yes. And that's all for now._

 _Dad: It's cold out, Kurt. Don't be standing around out in a parking lot too long, kiddo._

 _Kurt: I won't…promise. See you soon._

Burt sent a thumbs up and Kurt grinned at it. Thinking of his old-fashioned Dad texting was always amusing to him, but knowing it was often the only means of communication with Kurt, Burt became quite the text-pert.

"Among what other things?" Blaine asked, apropos of nothing at all.

"What?"

"You said you wondered if I'd become an asshole…among other things. What other things were you wondering about?"

Kurt thought for a minute. What did he want to say? How much time did they have? Would Blaine bolt if Kurt talked about things Blaine didn't want to delve into?

"I wondered how you were handling the stress. I remember how you used to get so riled up before glee competitions. When you sang with the Warblers you were always calm, cool and collected. But with the New Directions you were always a mess beforehand."

"I was a product of the environment. With the Warblers, I knew well ahead of time what I was singing and with whom. We knew the dance steps…all six of them…" he snickered, "well ahead of time. We had plenty of time to practice and when we got on that stage we were a well-oiled machine. No worries. With the New Directions we never knew what the hell we were singing until _that day_ , it seemed. The dance steps were all over the place and I didn't have to worry about solos but I got tugged into the chaos of it all and often felt completely unhinged by show time. These days I meditate before a show, do Pilates almost every morning…or P90X if I'm feeling adventurous, and I try to center myself before I go on stage. You'd be proud of me, Kurt," Blaine grinned ear to ear.

"I've always been proud of you…always."

That drew a surprised inhale from Blaine and he found his mouth too dry to speak.

"I sincerely wish I'd grabbed a drink while we were in there. Do you see a pop machine anywhere?" Blaine asked, surveying the parking lot.

"Pop machine. Ever the mid-western boy, aren't we, Blaine?" Kurt chuckled. "No, I don't see one, but I have a six pack of beer I bought for Dad. He won't miss one or two…if you're ok to drink one and then drive home?"

"Yes…anything. Just…thirsty, I guess…."

Kurt grabbed the bag from between his feet and handed a can of beer to Blaine and then popped the top on one for himself. He held the can up between Blaine and himself and spoke softly.

"To old friendships?"

"To old friendships…and hopefully new ones as well?" Blaine asked, uncertain, as they clinked the cans together. He knew he needed to just dive in and ask the question he needed an answer to.

"So um…you texted your Dad. I don't want to keep you from…anyone…else…at your Aunt's house?" Blaine said, wording the sentence as a question and obviously fishing. Kurt panicked, unsure what to say. _How pathetic would I sound if I said "oh, no, nobody waiting_ on _me…" when I know Seth is probably at Blaine's Granny's house waiting. Or is he? Blaine doesn't seem to be in too much of a hurry to get back._ "Oh, no, I…um…he uh…he opted to go home to Germany this Christmas…family there and all that…" Kurt said, leaving it hanging. He hadn't lied. He hadn't told the whole truth, but he hadn't lied and that was important to him. "You? Is someone waiting…for you? We don't have to stay here if -"

"Uh…no, I decided to just have a little time with my family this year. He's with his family back in L.A." _God, Blaine, you are the worst! Just tell him the truth. There's no shame in being single. Is there? Would I sound pathetic if I just told him the truth? God, no, idiot, don't tell him the truth…sheezus! And now I'm talking to myself…_

Blaine was saved by his phone buzzing in his pocket.

 _Mom: Blaine, what's taking so long? Did you get lost?_

 _Blaine: No, Mom, I'm not lost. I ran into an old friend and we started talking…just make the appetizer without these ingredients, please? I don't want to rush back, I'm sorry._

 _Mom: Old friend, huh? Am I allowed to ask who you ran into? And Cooper is reading over my shoulder and said you better not have run into someone with his car._

 _Blaine: The car is fine. I'm fine. All is well, just catching up. Don't wait for me._

"Do you need to go?"

"What? No! No, it's fine. I just told them not to wait for me. I'm rather enjoying myself if you must know. An evening with the clever and talented Kurt Hummel isn't easy to come by. I'm not throwing this opportunity away to hang out with my cousin Sidney and her horrendous friend who tries to grope me every time I walk by," Blaine said with a straight face. Kurt couldn't help but to laugh out loud.

"Oh my God…that's…"

"If you say 'funny' or any other synonym of said word, it's on, Kurt," Blaine deadpanned. "You don't know what it's like to be groped by a teenaged girl in front of your grandmother. Seriously uncomfortable…" Blaine replied, shaking his head in amusement.

"I can't say as I do. I have, however, been groped by supermodels, if that counts for anything?" Kurt smirked.

"Oh? Do tell!"

"You're way too excited about this, and we're gonna be out of beer soon," Kurt laughed.

"There has to be a restaurant open around here somewhere, isn't there? We could grab some food, have a drink, catch up some more?" The hopeful look on Blaine's face was Kurt's undoing. He'd been home with Burt, Carole and Finn for a week and he'd spend the whole day with them tomorrow before heading to L.A. to see Mercedes. He could give Blaine another hour tonight.

"You're on. Find a place and we'll split some French fries somewhere like we used to!"

"You had me at fries, Kurt."

"Blaine?"

"Mmhmm?" Blaine answered, pulling out of the parking lot.

"I've missed you. I'm really glad you stopped and said hello tonight."

"Me too, Kurt. More than you know."


	8. Chapter 8

I've been trying to upload this chapter for two days, but the site wasn't cooperating, unfortunately. So, here's' the next chapter. And I've been remiss in my praise for my fantastic beta, Suzanne, who's always quick to return anything I send her. As always, once I got it back I picked at it again and maybe a few things have changed, just slightly. Any mistakes are all mine!

 **Chapter 8**

"Tell me all about the life of a rock and roll star?" Kurt smirked and his cheeks turned that shade of pink that nearly did Blaine in.

"Oh, there's not a whole lot to tell. You know me. I'm not a huge partier…there have been no ragers after a show where we threw furniture out the 56th story windows or anything," Blaine laughed, rolling his eyes. "Honestly? I spend a lot of time writing and in the studio. There's an awful lot of my stuff out there, recorded, that nobody but my team has heard yet. I'm ok with that, for now. We're finishing up a new album that'll drop in a couple of months or so, once all the kinks are worked out."

"You don't throw massive parties and get wasted and wake up with—" Kurt began, obviously joking, but when he realized where the conversation was headed, he abruptly cut off his interrogation. He did not want to or need to hear about Blaine's…escapades…if there were escapades. Instead, he shook his head as if to clear it.

"No, Kurt. You know me better than that. That's not my style," Blaine chuckled, but he could sense Kurt's unease now and he knew exactly where the conversation had derailed. Better, he thought, to change the subject.

"So tell me about what you do. I want to hear it all. Do you still see Isabelle?"

"Only every damn day of my life!" Kurt laughed, and he was off. He told Blaine the details of his days, how he'd started out working photo shoots and worked his way up to being a fashion editor and now they called on him to consult when the big names needed something fabulous.

"Of course they do. Who knows fashion better than you, Kurt?"

"Clearly, nobody. I see yours hasn't changed much?" Kurt commented, nodding toward Blaine.

"I wear what they buy for me. I'm not picky, you know me."

"Well, someone knows what they're doing. Those pants are amazing and the shirt makes your eyes glow. Hugo?"

"Yes…I'm duly impressed, Mr. Hummel," Blaine teased.

"As you should be. I kind of consulted on that collection…off the clock, of course. A colleague, an old friend and classmate, really…she couldn't make a decision. We had a half dozen glasses of wine one night and threw corks at the swatches to 'decide'," Kurt smirked. "Oddly, when they showed me the colors they were tossing around, I saw that and thought of you…that it would look stunning on you." At Blaine's raised eyebrows Kurt tried to backtrack. "Oh, God, and now I've made it weird."

"No…you really haven't. I…I think about you too, Kurt. I looked into buying this house on the beach in California and the first time I was in it, I walked out onto the balcony from the master bedroom and the water was…it was the color or your eyes and I…"

"You...?" Kurt asked, knowing he needed to hear the rest of the story. He bumped Blaine's shoulder as they walked to the car. The two of them had finished their meal at the local Chinese restaurant, unfortunately unable to find french fries anywhere, and Blaine offered to drive Kurt home. Kurt was sure he'd already missed most of the festivities and he didn't really mind that at all. Plus he wanted another ride in Cooper's beautiful car.

"I was shaken up, if we're being honest," Blaine admitted. "We'd been apart for almost 5 years at the time and that really hit me hard out of the blue. I couldn't imagine waking up every morning and seeing 'your eyes' out there…being reminded of…things. It's still hard, Kurt. But I won't pretend that I don't follow your career. I know you do well for yourself, and I never doubted that you would. No matter what you chose to do, I knew you'd kill it…and you have."

"I bet nobody ever thought two glee club kids from Lima would ever become…what we are."

"Oh, let's not sell Lima short. Ms. Mercedes Jones is killin' it out in L.A. and she's about to drop a new album, I'm told," Blaine stated, eyebrows raised.

"And Ms. Rachel Berry is on Broadway, as she always said she would be, raking in the applause every night. I think Lima's done ok, don't you?" Kurt couldn't help but smirk. Yes, they'd all done pretty well for themselves.

"I…yeah. Yeah." Blaine admitted, but he wasn't feeling it. Lima had been a godsend for him at some point…and then everything went south with Kurt and it was just a living hell. He didn't pick up the conversation the rest of the way home and Kurt seemed to sense his unease. They remained quiet until they pulled into Burt's driveway.

"Would you come inside? Even just for a few minutes?" Kurt asked, and then wondered if he sounded as desperate as he was feeling. But without hesitation Blaine nodded, and they climbed the steps to the porch. Then Blaine finally spoke again, this time with a little pep in his voice as if he'd shoved whatever had been bothering him away.

"I'm so full I feel sick, but that was the best sweet and sour chicken I've ever had, hands down! Where was that place when we were kids? We could have gone on dates there every weekend!" Blaine laughed.

"Right? They've only been open for about 3 years or so, but every time I'm in town I beg for Chinese and we order out for dinner. So good…"

"It really was, and dirt cheap, too! And they gave us extra fortune cookies without us even asking for them."

"I didn't open mine yet. What does yours say?" Kurt asked, pulling a fortune cookie out of his coat pocket and unwrapping it.

"It says…" Blaine began, but then paused. "It uh..." He bit his lip, grinning, and then shook his head. These are silly anyway." He set the crumpled ball of paper next to his keys on the table inside the door and looked closer at the paper in Kurt's fingers. "What's yours say?"

"Mine says '….Oh'," he said, looking uncertain as he examined it. "Yeah…they're kind of…silly…I guess."

"Spoilsport! What's it say?" Blaine teased, reaching for the paper as Kurt tried to hold it out of his reach. Blaine stretched and nearly reached it, but stepped back almost as if he'd been burned when he was suddenly pressed hips to chest against Kurt's side. Had Kurt turned his head even the slightest bit they'd have been nose to nose and Blaine found that he didn't mind that at all. But Kurt had someone at home waiting for him, and Blaine had no intention of messing that up. He hadn't planned on it being so hard to pull away from Kurt, though. He cleared his throat and looked around, stepping further into the house. One could only stand in the foyer for so long, and one could only stand that close to Kurt for so long before just throwing caution to the wind and….yes, well…

"This is just a notch under surreal, Kurt, I swear it is," Blaine said, turning in small circles as he took in the Hummel residence as if it were a magical place he'd never seen before. He walked over to the piano in the corner of the living room and ran his fingers over it, examining the framed photos that adorned its top.

"Why do you say that?" Kurt asked, his curious smile and slightly tilted head lighting Blaine up on the inside.

"I just…I haven't been here for so long and your house was always one of my favorite places when we…back then. I always felt safe, welcome and loved here, ya know?"

"Well, you're still safe, welcome and…" Kurt paused, unsure how to finish the sentence. He thought of his Dad and Carole and Finn and how they'd adored Blaine just as he had for so long. Yes, Kurt was sure they still loved Blaine despite not having seen him for years. "…and loved. And you can stop over any time you want. You know they'd love to see you and nobody would mind at all," Kurt smiled shyly feeling as if maybe he'd said too much.

"That means a lot to me, Kurt. Thank you. The last time I was here I was curled up on the sofa, crying in Carole's lap while your Dad told me over and over that it would all be ok and things would turn out fine in the end, he was sure of it. I didn't know whether to believe him or not…but here we are, almost ten years later. We ran into each other at the store, hung out drinking beer in the parking lot on Christmas Eve, we scarfed down some Chinese food together and now here we are in front of your beautiful Christmas tree…just like old times, huh?"

"Almost…" Kurt murmured softly, bending over to plug in the lights on the tree.

Blaine sucked in a soft breath, eyes wide and a childish, delighted smile stretching across his face. He examined the tree and the ornaments for only a moment before his eyes landed on one that made his heart pound.

"You kept it?"

"Of course I kept it. It was a gift from someone very special to me and it will be on the tree every year that I'm around to put it there," Kurt said matter-of-factly.

Blaine's fingers reached out to play with the strings of wired beads that made up the delicate ornament. He'd sat at his own kitchen table with his mom over ten years ago while she made beautiful, beaded ornaments for a raffle basket she planned to donate to a charity auction. He worked on that ornament all day long, trying to get the blues and silvers just right. It was delicate, fragile and beautiful…and it reminded him so much of Kurt that he ended up gifting it to his boyfriend who had actually shed a few tears when he found out that Blaine had made it just for him.

"I thought…I mean…I thought maybe you'd have tossed out everything that even remotely reminded you of me after…after everything. What about the rings? The ones with the gum and candy wrappers? You had a ton of them when…afterward…did you keep them?"

Kurt wasn't sure how to reply. To say he had kept all of them made him sound desperate and creepy. To say he'd gotten rid of them made him sound heartless, so he didn't answer, just shook his head sadly and evaded the question altogether.

"Blaine…no. I couldn't have done that. I couldn't have tossed everything out. I was upset, yes. I was hurt…so very, very hurt, but I never hated you, not even for a minute. In fact, the more time passed, the more I hated myself for letting things get to that point. I was as much at fault as anyone and I'm sorry for that."

"I should have trusted you. I should have just known that you were busy with things and not…not doing what I did. I was just so insecure with you being away, in the big city with every opportunity to do things and go places and…and to be with anyone you wanted, and maybe…just maybe, I thought…that wasn't me anymore. I thought maybe the reason you weren't calling was because you found someone else who wasn't still in high school and living hundreds of miles away. I'm sorry for the part I played when everything went wrong, Kurt. I'll never forgive myself for all of it." Blaine stood with his back to his host, unable to turn around. He stared into the brightly lit tree, then let his eyes fall closed, refusing to make eye contact with Kurt. Ten years later it still hurt that he'd given up hope on the greatest thing to ever happen to him.

"Blaine…I was at fault, too. We've been over this, after it happened, and I told you then that I was sorry. How long are we going to rehash it? Can we just…move forward and be us again?" Kurt asked.

Blaine snapped his head around and met his eyes, then, unsure what Kurt meant by the question. Kurt quickly backtracked, unwilling to sound as desperate as he felt standing there with Blaine, wanting to just…hold him. Blaine's eyes were still warm caramel and his lips peachy pink. He was still stunningly handsome, maybe even more so than he'd been ten years before. It was unsettling to Kurt how he still felt so unbelievably drawn to the man, even after all the time that had passed.

"Us?"

"We…we can always be us…friends. I'd like to be friends again, Blaine. Do you think we can manage that?"

"Friends…" Blaine murmured, turning back to the tree. "We can try that," he paused, "if you want." Blaine's heart hurt thinking that all Kurt could ever be now was a friend. Now he'd have to send his "friend" home to someone else. He'd forever be plagued by his feelings for Kurt and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it. Seeing Kurt only intensified the harsh ache in his chest and his first thought was to flee. "I should probably go—"

"Please don't. I can see that look in your eyes, Blaine. I can tell that you're feeling cornered and panicked and I'm not sure why but…please don't go yet. We probably only have tonight and I…" Kurt babbled, his words falling out faster than his brain could process them. He let his own eyes wander around the room, then settle on the carpet, unsure what to say. "I'm sorry. I probably sound like some sort of crazy person. Of course you can go if you're not comfortable, Blaine. I'm…I'm sorry. Thank you for dinner. It was really good seeing you again. If you don't mind, would you…would you please lock the door behind you? And please tell your family that I said hello and Merry Christmas?" Kurt asked, nearly choking on his own words because Blaine wouldn't even meet his eyes anymore. Surely he'd made an idiot of himself, practically begging someone he barely knew anymore to stay with him. And of course Blaine had other obligations and Kurt had taken up his whole evening.

Without another word Kurt turned and fled up the stairs, taking them two at a time and putting as much distance between himself and Blaine as possible.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Blaine stood, rooted to the spot unsure what his next move should be. After so long without Kurt in his life, he knew it was a testament to who they were and what they were to one another that they fell right into the evening like no time at all had passed. It was…wow…a really good night.

Turning toward the stairs Blaine saw a small, white piece of paper on the piano. Kurt had clearly dropped his "fortune" there after trying to keep it from Blaine and it made him smile. Without another thought he walked over to examine it and see what was so "silly" that Kurt wouldn't let him see it.

 _Sometimes a second chance is offered because you were not quite ready the first time._

Blaine sucked in a deep breath through his nose and allowed his eyes to fall closed as he considered his options. He could leave and go home, spend the rest of the night with his family and then forget about ever having Kurt in his life as anything more than an old friend. Or…

Or he could go upstairs, invade Kurt's privacy, push the boundaries a little bit and see how Kurt reacted. He'd been paying close attention all evening and Kurt had looked at him tonight the way he used to, with eyes staring straight into his soul. Could Kurt tell that Blaine wanted him back? Did it matter? How did Kurt feel about…them? And he hadn't mentioned Lars even once. Was that because he thought Blaine would be uncomfortable with discussing their significant others?

"Well," he said out loud to himself, "I guess there's only one way to find out." Laying his own fortune next to Kurt's, he snickered at it as well.

 _If you do not fight for what you want, do not cry for what you have lost._

Fitting…oh so very fitting.

Standing outside of Kurt's door Blaine could hear nothing at all…and then he did. Sniffling, maybe a sigh a bit louder than normal as well.

"Well, it's now or never, Blaine," he said to himself quietly. He raised his hand and knocked softly on the door with no plan as to what he was going to do next.

"Kurt? Can I come in? I want to talk to you…about things," Blaine asked.

"Go away, Blaine. Nothing good can come of this. You're…in your relationship and I'm…" Kurt began, and then Blaine heard it again, the soft sniffling. "I'm just…I'm doing everything I can to do the right thing, here, so…please…"

"Kurt, please open the door. I feel like an idiot standing in the hallway, even if nobody else is home. I think we're good enough at this that we can talk face to face and come to some sort of—" Blaine's words cut off as Kurt whipped the door open in his face.

"What, Blaine? What can we do about…this?" Kurt gestured between them, waving his arms madly. His eyes were red-rimmed and his nose was pink.

"God, you're still so damn beautiful…" he said on a breathy exhale. "Well, for starters…" Blaine said, and then he just threw caution to the wind. He surged forward and pressed his lips to Kurt's, hearing and feeling Kurt inhale sharply as he did so. But Kurt didn't pull back. He didn't pull away. This was a good sign…the best sign, in fact. As if by muscle memory his left hand came up to cup Kurt's face tenderly as he always had and the memory of having done this hundreds of times nearly made his knees weak. Then again, maybe it was what was currently happening, and not the memories, that made his knees feel like jelly? The whimper that left him as he moved his lips along Kurt's should have probably been embarrassing, but Blaine felt nothing but complete and utter elation.

"Oh God…what are we doing?" Kurt breathed out as he pulled away slightly, his forehead resting on Blaine's and his fingers resting lightly on the soft sweater covering Blaine's upper arms. "Blaine…it's every bit as good as I remember and more…" Kurt began again, but then gave up and leaned in to cover Blaine's lips one more time, both of his hands automatically coming to rest on Blaine's face.

Blaine couldn't think straight and he didn't care. He was there with Kurt, Kurt was tenderly cupping his face, and Kurt was kissing him of his own free will - and it was…divine. There was just no other word for it. Blaine was utterly overwhelmed with emotion and need.

"Kurt…" he said, but it came out as more of a whine.

As if in answer, Kurt tugged Blaine into his room and kicked the door closed, never breaking the kiss as he led Blaine over to the bed and both of them tumbled down upon it.

"He doesn't need to know…" Kurt mumbled between hungry, passionate kisses, his eyes filled with wetness he could barely see through. He didn't want Blaine to think about the consequences, but he couldn't ignore that they were there. "Please…just one night?" he begged, knowing he had to get Blaine's okay for it to happen but also needing to throw out that reminder about Seth. If Blaine didn't pull away now and tell Kurt he was taken, end of story, then Kurt would damn himself to the guilt he'd feel for the rest of his life just for this one night with Blaine – one night that could ruin everything for Blaine and Seth if Seth ever found out. One night that might ruin _him_ completely for any other man in the future…but that was a chance he was more than willing to take because he was already ruined for any other man but Blaine Anderson.

"Yes…with you, anything…always…" Blaine mumbled back, not willing to leave any space between them.

"But he—"

"Jesus, please, Kurt…don't talk about him. I can't—" Blaine began, knowing that he was probably ruining everything between Kurt and Lars for his own pleasure and greed, but he needed Kurt tonight like he needed air…like he needed the blood currently rushing through his veins like fire. Kurt merely nodded, but the tears in his eyes nearly broke Blaine's heart.

"If you can't…if you don't want to—"

"Yes, I…God, Blaine, I want to more than anything, yes. Please…" Kurt shut out the memory of hundreds of photos he'd seen of a seemingly very happy Blaine and Seth on television, on the red carpet, in magazine spreads. He shut down his guilt and his conscience and he just…felt.

Kurt remembered every sensitive spot on Blaine's body and took full advantage of each and every one of them with his mouth and his hands. He could hear Blaine all but panting above him and Kurt was so turned on it made him lightheaded.

Blaine's hands were all over him, weaving their way under his clothes to skim over silky, smooth skin. Fingernails left crescent marks on hips as Blaine urged Kurt closer to him and rigidly refused to allow any more than a breath between their bodies.

"Missed you…missed this…so much, Kurt…"

"Blaine, please…" Kurt whined, back arching as he felt a hand grab at his ass and squeeze. Then, all at once, Blaine was on top of him, elbow tucked under Kurt's knee and tugging it up as he settled his hips on top of Kurt's and began to rock. At first the movements were slow and sluggish, just teasing and not nearly enough, but soon both of them were gasping, gripping and pleading with one another for more. Blaine's body had been tingling all night with thoughts and memories of Kurt and how they used to be…together…in love…so head over heels. It didn't take long at all before he was teetering on the edge of everything he wanted to draw out a bit longer.

"No…no, Kurt, not yet. I don't want…not like this," Blaine told him as he moved away, putting distance between them that Kurt immediately hated.

"You…you don't want to…with me?" Kurt asked, his voice broken and his eyes shining as he tried to catch his breath.

"My God, no, Kurt. I haven't changed my mind. I want this more than I want my next breath. I just want…can we…I don't want to assume, and to be painfully honest, I don't have anything with me, so maybe we shouldn't—"

"I don't underst—" Kurt began, but then it clicked in his hazy brain. "Oh. OH! Yes, I…I have that…in my bag. Of course we can, if that's what you want, yes," Kurt babbled, scrambling up from the mattress and nearly throwing himself at his bag which sat on the chair across the room. He rummaged through and finally found what he'd been searching for. Kurt turned with an unsure but hopeful grin and waved a condom and a small tube teasingly in front of Blaine, just out of reach. Blaine staunchly refused to even think that of course Kurt had condoms in his bag because he would normally be traveling with Lars. No. No, he would not allow himself to think about it. He would simply wallow in self-pity and guilt tomorrow, next week and for years to come, he was sure. But tonight…tonight belonged to him and Kurt. Kurt, who was standing before him, nearly naked and biting his bottom lip with a teasing gleam in his eyes.

As if no time at all had passed between high school and that Christmas Eve in Kurt's bed, he had Kurt stripped bare and writhing beneath him, panting and gasping out his name and clawing at his back. It was heady, knowing he could still affect Kurt this way, but even more so knowing Kurt was playing _him_ like a musical instrument. Everything between them was warm, slick and hard. Kurt made him moan wantonly as he caressed Blaine's skin like it was the most precious of gifts, softly sliding fingertips over muscle and gliding short, trimmed nails over tender, sensitive spots that only Kurt knew.

"…one night…won't be enough…never enough…" Blaine murmured, his eyes misted over, as he kissed up Kurt's neck. Kurt wondered if Blaine even realized the words he was saying or if he was just as lost in "them" as Kurt was. "You're still so incredibly beautiful….so insanely sexy, Kurt…" He rocked into his lover over and over, the rhythm of his hips a soothing tempo to Kurt's harried mind, keeping his pace slow to draw out the inevitable as long as possible.

"I've missed you…missed this…missed us…" Kurt hummed in return, his eyes unfocused enough that Blaine wondered if Kurt meant for the words to escape. "You've filled out in all the right places, Blaine Anderson," he grinned, nipping at one of Blaine's nipples playfully as he squeezed at the man's biceps and wiggled his eyebrows.

"Yeah, yeah…go ahead, tease all you want," Blaine chuckled, "but I'm obviously not the only one, Hummel." Blaine slowed his movements then pulled back just a bit and let his gaze linger over Kurt's body, still lithe, strong and toned. "I've missed you more than I ever admitted even to myself, Kurt. If all I can have is one night, then I'll gladly take it and hold on to the memory forever."

Kurt let his eyes fall closed, trying to shove away the thoughts of Blaine leaving, going home and spending the rest of his life with another man, with Seth. His heart ached with the wrongness of it all, and he wanted to plead with Blaine to stay, to give them a chance, to let Kurt be the man he shared his life with. But that was unfair…so unfair to even consider, wasn't it? But this…this between the two of them was so intense, so perfect, that Kurt didn't want to concede that it could be wrong in any way. This was them…Kurt and Blaine. Anything between them was surely meant to be, wasn't it? This…this between them was…sacred. There just wasn't any other word for it.

"Stay with me, Kurt…come on…eyes open. Let me see those gorgeous blues that still shake me to my core when I picture you like this…"

And oh…the thought of Blaine lying in bed, maybe with his hands on himself, thinking of Kurt under him…even now? Did he think of Kurt wrapped around him when he was with Seth? _Oh God_ , Kurt thought, and his heart sped up at the image. The very idea of it lit a fire in him and nearly broke him all at once.

"Blaine…please…I have to…I can't hold off any longer…please…" Kurt whined, his back gracefully rising from the bed as he thrust upward, taking Blaine just a little deeper. "Oh Blaine, please…" he pleaded.

Blaine reached between them and gripped Kurt in his hand, tugging in time with his own thrusts while he tried desperately to hold back from coming until he had Kurt right there with him. He watched the fire build in Kurt's eyes and let a small smile form on his lips until he felt the coil in his belly wind just that much tighter.

"C'mon, Kurt…let go…c'mon, baby…"

With the endearment, Kurt whimpered and let out a strangled cry as he erupted across Blaine's fist and his own chest, harshly panting as he did so with glazed eyes and a pounding heart. He anticipated the vision, the memory he'd waited for all evening - Blaine coming undone with him again, his beautiful, olive skin damp with sweat and his chest heaving from loving Kurt the way only Blaine knew how. His Blaine…

Blaine's eyes fell closed and he shoved into Kurt three more times with more force than he'd previously allowed himself, emptying into the man beneath him with a wordless cry and harsh breaths. His body shook and trembled as he let his head fall back and his eyes slip closed. The last thing he wanted was for Kurt to see the tears slipping down his cheeks as the very softly whispered "I still love you…" snuck out into the open between them.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

They lay close, tangled up in one another on the bed, the moonlight ghosting in from Kurt's bedroom window. It barely illuminated the room enough for Kurt to see Blaine's eyelashes fanning over the apples of his cheeks and fluttering against Kurt's chest at the same time. "Just ten minutes…let me just lay with you for ten more minutes and then I'll go…" Blaine had said, clutching Kurt's torso like a lifeline as he lay with his ear over Kurt's heart. That was an hour ago, and Kurt couldn't bring himself to wake Blaine, despite the fact that he'd heard Carole, Finn and his Dad come home about 30 minutes after they'd…what? What had it been? Had they hooked up? Fucked? Was Kurt just a one-night stand? Oh…well, he was a homewrecker now…potentially…wasn't he? That stung, but he'd known it going in, and in that moment he couldn't find it within himself to give it another thought. Blaine was in his arms, snuffling softly, naked as the day he was born, both of them under Kurt's down comforter in a cocoon of warmth and…oh, he really wanted to say "love", but he didn't dare. Not out in the open for the world to hear. It was too much to hope for.

Blaine was warm, soft, so unbelievably beautiful – even more so than he had been in high school, if that was possible – and for a few more minutes, Blaine was his. And in that moment, he knew, without a doubt, what had happened.

He and Blaine had made love…again…after so much time apart. He couldn't make it out to be something sordid, something wrong. He just couldn't. He still loved this man in his arms just as much as he had ten years before, and Kurt knew he always would.

"Just let me love you for a few more minutes, B…please?" Kurt murmured as he ran his fingers through Blaine's wild mane, still loving the smell of his body wash and the conditioner he claimed he must have for his curls.

* * *

Blaine came awake slowly, then with a start, realizing he wasn't in his own home or his own bed. For a fleeting moment he panicked, wondering if he'd dreamed the previous evening and he was, instead, in some nameless, faceless man's bed back in L.A., still trying to forget Kurt. Slowly, after much deliberation and even a short prayer, he opened his eyes. His smile was brighter than the sun.

"God, you're still so damn beautiful…" he breathed out, seeing Kurt there beside him sound asleep. Kurt's skin was still pale, stretched over toned muscles and still flawless from his hairline to his toes. His hair was shiny, chestnut brown with a few strategically placed, lighter highlights. It was so artfully swept up from his forehead the night before that Blaine hesitated to run his fingers through it but not for long. He remembered very well how Kurt liked his hair tugged when they made love, and sometimes begged for more when Blaine got a little carried away with it. "So, so stunning…and I still can't have you." His heart broke thinking of how he'd leave here this morning, unnoticed if he was very lucky, and there was a good chance he might never see Kurt in person again. He wasn't at all sure his heart could handle it if he did.

Ten minutes later, dressed and standing at the end of Kurt's bed, he hoped he wasn't having a heart attack at the ripe old age of 28. His chest ached, his throat was nearly closed up with emotions, his breathing was labored and his eyes were full of tears he could barely see through. He walked up to the head of the bed, leaned over and kissed Kurt softly on his forehead and brushed the hair away from his face.

"You've occupied every corner of my heart and my mind from the day I finally pulled my head out of my ass in the practice room at Dalton, Kurt Hummel. There will never be a time in my life when you won't be in my heart, I promise you that. Last night was…beyond any words I can come up with, but I won't betray him again, even with permission. I'll always love you. Always. Merry Christmas, Kurt."

Blaine backed away after his whispered words and let himself out of the room. Thoughts of Kurt going home to Lars, possibly even telling the man of their tryst, ate at him, but he had to let Kurt handle things as he saw fit. If it wasn't in him to keep that secret from his partner, then Blaine had to accept that and the guilt that came with it. But he wouldn't…couldn't…regret it.

He slipped quietly down the steps and over to the front door where his coat hung on the same coat tree that had been in the Hummel foyer forever. Those little things, the familiar things, nearly had him choking back another sob. It was only the throat clearing behind him that took his mind from his memories. He considered ignoring it…running…just heading for the door with his tail between his legs as quickly as possible, but it wouldn't change the fact that he'd been caught.

"Can I help you find the door, buddy?" the cold, unfriendly voice said, and Blaine breathed a massive sigh of relief. It wasn't Burt Hummel. Clearly, there was a God. With a grin he knew would be recognized despite any beard or wild hair, he turned slowly to find Finn standing in the kitchen doorway. "Well, holy freakin' shit…" Finn laughed. "What the hell, Blaine!?" the man said, trying to be quiet but failing. He crossed the space between them and nearly crushed Blaine in a hug that brought those memories rushing right back. "It's just like ten years ago, and you're still sneaking out of the house!" he laughed.

"It's good to see you, man. How have you been?" Blaine asked, eyes bright as he took in his old friend.

"If I were any better there'd be two o' me. How the heck are _you_!? What's it been? Six years? Eight? Wow…when was Tina's wedding?"

"Yeah…eight years ago, I think. You look good, Finn. I'm glad to hear everything's goin' your way, man. How's Burt? I mean, Kurt said he's good, and your Mom, too, but…"

"No, really, they're both good…health's good, business is good. No complaints. We all wish Kurt wasn't so far away, but he comes home when he can. What are you…I mean…what brings you here? On Christmas Eve…well, Christmas Day, now…sneaking out of the house at –" he paused and looked at the clock, "six fifty a.m.?" The smirk on his face said he knew exactly what brought Blaine there, but he forced Blaine to admit it.

"We uh…last night we…I was at the grocery store for my Mom and—"

"Kurt was there for Mom, getting whipped cream if I'm not mistaken?" Finn added.

"Yeah, and suddenly there he was, ya know? I…we…I just couldn't let him walk away without catching up. It's been," he paused, unsure how to finish the sentence. _A long time? Hard as hell without him? Unbearable?_ "It's been a long time…and it was really good to catch up," Blaine finally finished.

"Catch up? Is that what the kids are calling it nowadays?" Finn smirked at him again, wagging his eyebrows. Blaine had the decency to blush. A lot.

"We um…" he started, scratching at the back of his neck, unsure how much to share. But then again, it was clear that Finn already had a good idea of what had gone down. "I'll never have him out of my system, Finn. He'll always be it for me, and I hope he can just go on with his life, with Lars, and never speak of last night. I don't want to cause him issues, I truly don't. I care for him so much…but I couldn't just…I couldn't leave without…" Blaine said, trying desperately to get his thoughts out, but failing. Finn merely nodded.

"Lars, huh? That's the stumbling block?" Finn asked. Blaine shrugged, unsure what that meant. Of course Lars was the issue. He was Kurt's partner and Blaine had no place in Kurt's life anymore beyond the previous evening. "And what about Seth? You gonna tell him about Kurt?" Finn probed. Blaine let out a mirthless laugh at that, shaking his head slowly from side to side.

"Between us?" he asked. Finn nodded. "Seth…he knows about Kurt. He has for a while…and we…we had a good run, but he blindsided me with the 'you'll never be mine as long as your heart's still his' conversation a few months back. He's seeing someone else and he's happy, and that's all I can ask, ya know? It was good while it was good, but then it wasn't. I couldn't see it then when I was in it, but I can see now that Seth was right to go. It'll always be Kurt and nobody else can fill that void for me. In fact…I'm not looking for anyone else to fill the void. But…Kurt's taken, and he's happy and I won't take that away from him. I just hope he can forgive me for last night."

"And Kurt was clear about…being happy? You told him about Seth and he was ok with it?"

"I didn't tell him about Seth. What would that change? Telling him that Seth left would only complicate things if…if he…" Blaine stumbled through the words, unable to finish his thoughts. "But he's with Lars and they're happy. He's happy and that's all I want for him. I'll always love him, though, Finn. Always."

"I know. We all know. Everyone's known for a long time…and between us, I think that's true for Kurt as well. You guys were something special, and just because it didn't work out then, doesn't mean it can't ever work, Blaine. I'll talk to Kurt—"

"No. Finn, don't, please. Don't interfere. If Kurt's happy, then I'm happy for him. I never wanted anything but for him to be happy…and it seems that he is. I hope he is. That's all I've ever wanted for him…even back then."

"But, Blaine—"

"No, Finn. Please…I'm gonna head out, ok? I don't want to be here when Kurt wakes up, or God forbid when Burt comes down and all hell breaks loose. I'm sure I'm the last person he'd want to see around Kurt again. Tell them you ran into me somewhere and that I wish them Merry Christmas and the happiest of holidays, ok?"

With a resigned shrug and a deep breath, Finn nodded. "Same to you, man. Wait…give me your phone!" Finn took it and put his number in before sending himself a text message. "Don't be a stranger, Blaine. We've missed you. Drive safely. Oh! That your car out there?"

"No," Blaine laughed. "It's Cooper's. Really, Finn? A Ferrari?"

"Yeah, I didn't think so. You probably made millions last year alone and I'm sure you're still driving a Prius.

They both had a snicker over that, but they shook hands and Blaine left as quickly as possible. As he slid into the driver's seat, he was thankful that Kurt told him to park on the street and not in the driveway. He hadn't planned on staying the night, but this car in the driveway would have been like a big, neon sign. As it was, he hoped that only Finn had noticed the car on the street and Burt hadn't taken a second look in its direction. It would have been pretty dark when they pulled into the driveway last night, right? Blaine took one last look at the Hummel home and drove back to his parents' place, his mind a blur and his emotions in wild, heartbreaking disarray. With any luck, he'd sneak in without running into anyone.

I won't betray him again, even with permission. I'll always love you…

Kurt lay in bed as still as he could, his heart pounding and his head swimming as he listened to Blaine speak those words. If he let Blaine know he was awake it would only lead to an awkward morning after and a heart wrenching (for Kurt anyway) goodbye. I won't betray him again…

Ughhhh, Seth…why? What was worse was that Kurt had been keeping tabs on Blaine for years and he knew Seth was a good guy. There were no scandals, no sightings of Seth out with other men, nothing of the sort. They looked happy in photos and on TV and Kurt wouldn't be the cause of a break up if he could help it. He just hoped that Blaine kept his mouth shut and just went on like the previous night hadn't happened. He desperately hoped, though, that Blaine didn't regret their evening.

Kurt would live with the guilt of knowingly having slept with another man's partner, but he sincerely hoped that Blaine was smart enough to just forget it and move on. Kurt…well, he'd never forget it. The night he'd spent with Blaine would live in his heart for a long time to come. Hugging his Blaine-scented pillow tighter, he let his silent tears flow now that he could.

* * *

 _Finn: Oh and JSYK, you're hardly the last person Burt would want to see here with Kurt. ;)_

 _Blaine: Ok, maybe not the LAST person…but close enough. Right? Lol_

 _Blaine: Right?_

 _Blaine: Finn?_


	11. Chapter 11

**Much love for my girls, Sue and Kris, this week. It's been a doozie and, without them, I think I may have gone over the edge a bit. Or maybe I already have, who knows. Anyway, I love ya, ladies!**

 **And if you're looking for something to read, go read Dueling Duets by Gleeful Darren Criss FAn. She updates regularly and writes an entertaining and well thought out story!**

 **And for L...I'm sorry (not sorry) neither of the boys get pregnant in this story. ;)**

 **Chapter 11**

"Well, if it isn't Santa's own short little elf. You lost, little man? I think Santa's already been here and gone hours ago since it's like….Oh, I dunno…7:15 in the morning!" Cooper smirked.

"Shut it, Coop. I'm not in the mood," Blaine answered, shoulders slumped as he trudged into the kitchen.

"Well, you must've been in the mood at some point, because you totally have sex hair and you reek of—"

"Oh for God's sake, Cooper, shut the hell up!" Blaine griped at him, pouring himself some orange juice.

"And my car better be in top shape or it's your ass! Oh wait, was it _your ass_ last night, too?" Cooper cackled gleefully. Blaine turned around and gave him a murderous look…and that wasn't what anyone should look like after getting laid, Cooper thought.

"Don't…"

"Ok, I'm done harassing you. What's goin' on, Squirt? Where'd you disappear to last night? Mom said you ran into someone? An old friend?"

"I…I ran into Kurt at the gro—"

"Fuck me, you did not!?" Cooper blurted out, eyes wide.

Blaine nodded. "I did, and no thank you. Not necessarily in that order, either."

"And you have sex hair!?" Another nod. "This is gold! Oh, wait…did it not go well? Is he…could he not…I mean, in the sack…can't he…?"

"WHAT? No, Cooper, for God's sake. He's still fucking phenomenal in bed, but he's also dating someone else, so—"

"What do you care? You're with Seth, too, so—" Cooper began, then his eyes went wide again. "Wait…you cheated on Seth with Kurt? You cheated on Seth? _YOU_ cheated?"

"Thank you for that rousing dissertation, Cooper, but no. I did not cheat on Seth. He left months ago and he's already with someone else. I'm a free man, so last night was…alright…for me, but not so much for Kurt. I'm afraid he won't be able to stomach the guilt and he'll tell Lars."

"And Lars is?"

"Lars Schneider. He's an architect, bigshot, Kurt's longtime boyfriend."

"The name rings a bell…." Cooper paused with a wicked grin. He tilted his head to the side and put his index finger to his chin for effect. "The guy who's always in photos with Kurt?" Blaine nodded, not even looking up. "And you think Kurt's gonna tell this guy about you and what happened? Is he stupid or-?"

"He's Kurt. He's honest to a fault and he's a good man. I have no doubt he'll feel guilty and he'll tell Lars, and they'll fight about it. It'll be my fault because I initiated everything and he'll be cruel to Kurt and—"

"If you were any more altruistic I'd be hurling up my guts right now. Shut up and listen to yourself. You're still in love with Kurt. It's been ten years and you're still head over heels for him, aren't you?"

"Do you even know what altruistic _means_?"

"Shut it, Squirt. I have a word-of-the-day calendar. I'm beefing up my vocab for an audition I have coming up…English professor…of course, there's scandal with the sexy teacher and the hot young student—"

"Cooper! Your point?"

"My point is, stop being a dweeb and tell Kurt how you feel and that you want to be with him. Clearly, he's not 100% into this 'Lars' person if he was willing to play anal assassins with you last night—OW!? What the HELL, man!? I'm trying to help you, jackass!" Cooper whined, rubbing his arm where Blaine had knuckle punched him.

"LARS. What part of Lars are you not understanding? He's been with Kurt for years and Kurt's not going to just walk away from that for me, ok? He's just not, so…that's that. I'm going to go lay down for a little bit until Mom and Dad wake up."

"Oh, they're already awake and out to mass this morning."

"Already?"

"Mom realized you weren't here and figured they'd go early and then we'd have breakfast and open gifts when you got home."

"So she knows I didn't come home last night?" Blaine asked, knowing he'd get an earful.

"Yep, sorry Squirt. You have about an hour to rest before she's home and all over you about it."

"I'll take the hour…if my mind will slow down enough for me to sleep. Be quiet, too, assmunch. No blaring Christmas carols or anything!"

"You were much nicer and less of a pain in the ass when you hung around those choir boys in high school."

"The Warblers aren't choir boys!"

"Close enough," Cooper grinned, knowing he'd irritated Blaine enough for one morning.

"Keep it down, and for God's sake, no singing!"

"Bossy! I have a phone call to make anyway. Go get some sleep, grouchy pants! You're an angry elf!" Cooper cackled and then ducked and ran as Blaine threw the dish towel at him.

* * *

Christmas morning – well, a few hours later – Kurt found himself downstairs eating Carole's apple strudel and drinking coffee with his family. Gifts had been opened and he'd dutifully smiled, laughed and thanked everyone for their thoughtfulness, just as he should, despite the ache in his back and his tender backside. He acted just as he would if his heart wasn't breaking into a thousand tiny little pieces. Was Blaine on the phone with Seth right now, telling him how much he missed him and wishing him a Merry Christmas? Were they opening each other's gifts on a Skype call? Was Blaine packing up gifts to take home to Seth? Things that his family had surely bought for their son's boyfriend? Or…oh God, was he tearfully telling Seth that he'd slept with an old boyfriend last night and telling the man how much regret he already felt?

"…so then I told the guys that there was no way we could get a pink and purple striped hippopotamus into the shop even with a forklift," Burt said, staring straight at Kurt. "Kurt!"

The man in question startled and nearly dropped the fork he'd been holding, strudel still on the end of the tines, totally lost in his own world.

"I didn't…I missed that. What were you saying?"

"Have you heard a word I've said, Kurt?" Burt asked, a bemused grin on his face as he spoke. Kurt was clearly daydreaming. Finn and Carole both snickered.

"I'm sorry, I…I'm just a little…I didn't sleep well last night, I guess."

"Huh…that's odd. I mean, we got home a little after eleven and you were already in bed with the door firmly shut. Weird. It wouldn't have anything to do with that Ferrari parked on the street when we got in, would it?"

Kurt's head snapped up and his eyes went wide as saucers. "W-what?" he breathed, afraid to actually try to shove words out. They'd parked well past the Hummel driveway on the street, knowing which way Burt would surely come home, hoping to avoid any questions.

"Kiddo, I've been a mechanic for nearly forty years now. Cars are my life. If it has an engine, I wanna know about it. If there's a car like that in the vicinity of my home, you bet your ass I'm gonna notice it. Just bummed it was already gone this morning before I got to take a good look at it in the daylight. Wouldn't have anything to do with that 'old friend' you ran into last night would it?" Burt teased. "Because we all know you have an old friend who could easily afford—"

Kurt couldn't hear another word. He stood up quickly, knocking his coffee cup over with a gasp as the hot liquid ran down his pajama pants. "Sorry…I'm so sorry, I…" Kurt began, grabbing napkins to sop up the mess. He was making a bigger mess of it, though, so Carole stood and grabbed a washcloth to help. "I didn't mean to…" Kurt started again but then broke off, a sob choking out of his throat as the weight of the last twelve hours settled over him like a shroud. He'd slept with Blaine. He'd made Blaine a cheater. He'd let Blaine go without stopping him. He'd let him go without a word…without telling him how much he was still so in love with him after all this time. He was a terrible coward, wasn't he?

"Kurt! Honey are you alright?!" Carole yelled after him as he shook his head and climbed the stairs to his room. He couldn't face them. He couldn't tell them he'd been with Blaine, knowing Blaine had someone special back at home. He couldn't admit to loving Blaine all these years. He couldn't even consider the hot coffee that had soaked his pajama pants. That didn't even matter. His mind was on other things - things like the fact that flopping on his bed was a bad idea when the sheets still smelled of Blaine and sex. A sob tore from his chest and he balled the sheets up in his fists.

An hour passed where Kurt lay still on his bed just thinking of his options. Sleeping in that bed another night wasn't something he thought he could stomach anymore. He was supposed to leave the next morning, but he might be able to fly standby that evening and head out to L.A. to see Mercedes a day early. She wouldn't mind if he showed up early, he was sure. He was startled from his thoughts when he realized his Dad was standing there staring at him.

"Wanna tell me what all that was?"

"No, not especially," Kurt answered truthfully.

"Ok. Well, you know that's not how we roll around here…"

"You've been hiring too many young guys at the shop. You can't pull it off, ol' man," Kurt grinned. Burt just rolled his eyes.

"Well?"

"Please don't make me. I don't want to disappoint you by saying out loud what you already know."

"I know _you_ , Kurt. I know you don't make rash decisions and you don't act without thinking," Burt told him. His eyes were so kind and understanding that Kurt just let his eyes find the floor and started speaking.

"I ran into Blaine last night at the grocery store. We started talking and it was just…really nice…like old times. We grabbed something to eat and came back here to talk when the restaurant closed. Nothing else was open, no bars or anything…"

"Seeing as it was Christmas Eve," Burt supplied. Kurt nodded. "And what time did Blaine leave?" he asked, a knowing look on his face that barely hinted at disapproval. Kurt's stomach turned. He was a grown man and he still didn't like his father's disapproving stare.

"Around 6:45 this morning," Kurt choked out. "Dad…please don't. Nobody hates me more than me right now, not Seth, not Blaine, not you…" he sobbed.

"Aw, Kurt. You know nothing you could ever do in this life could ever make me hate you. Where's all that coming from? I'm sure Blaine doesn't hate you either. Now tell me what's goin' on, will ya, kid? You know Blaine's with that other fella and you…you what? You slept with him anyway? That's not like you, Kurt. Is it? Correct me if I'm wrong, I mean…"

"No…no Dad, it's not like me. You know me better than that. But it's Blaine, Dad. It's…that's all I've got. It's Blaine," Kurt choked, his eyes blurred with tears again. Burt just nodded, his eyes soft.

"Yeah…" he breathed out, throwing an arm over Kurt's shoulders. "And that's all that needs to be said about that, isn't it? It's Blaine. He'll always be the one for you, huh?"

"Always…but I can't have him and oh my God, it hurts, Dad. I should have never let us fall apart. I should have fought for him. I should have made sure he knew how much I cared about him back then. I should have—"

"Kurt, stop. Just…stop. You can't live your life with 'I should haves'. Won't do anybody a damn bit o' good, you hear me? Now you can either wallow here in self-pity or you can do something about it but only you can choose which path you take, Kurt. If Blaine was here with you last night, then maybe that relationship with Sven—"

"SETH, Dad…" Kurt laughed.

"Seth, then. Well, maybe it's not all you think it is. Blaine doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who'd cheat on his partner any more than you would, kiddo. Maybe he still feels something for you as well and it's worth a shot to see how he feels? Did you ask him?"

"No. I was a coward. When he left I acted like I was still sleeping. Seeing any bit of regret in his eyes would have devastated me."

"So he left without saying goodbye, did he?"

"Not really. He…he said some things. I just couldn't…"

"Some things?"

"He said I've occupied his heart and his mind every day since Dalton…that there won't ever be a time when that's not the case, and he said…he said he'd always love me…always…" Kurt sobbed, letting Burt pull him in tightly, the only thing at that moment that could calm him down.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

"Blaine, honey, you haven't eaten a single bite. Are you feeling unwell?" Pam asked, concern etched in her features. "Are you tired?" she asked, and Blaine wasn't sure, but he thought he saw a slight smirk before she caught herself.

"I'm ok…" Blaine answered, pushing his food around on his plate. "The food looks delicious, Mom. You've outdone yourself," he smiled at her. She really had gone all out for Christmas dinner. The table was laden down with a grand meal and he should have been salivating over his favorites – a honey glazed ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, baby carrots, sweet potato casserole, crescent rolls, green beans and the most amazing apple pie he'd ever tasted. Hers was his favorite and nobody else's came close.

"He's not ok, he's stewing and hurt and, oh, did I mention stupid?"

"Cooper James, what in the world is wrong with you!?" Phillip Anderson admonished his eldest son. "Why would you say such a thing when your only brother is so obviously unhappy?"

"Just look at him. He's moping because he ran into Kurt last night and the genius just let Kurt walk right out of his life again."

"Cooper, that's not your business to—" Pam began, but Cooper talked right over her, staring Blaine in the face as he did so.

"He assumed that he knew what the score was, and then he ran away instead of telling Kurt how he really felt, how he's felt for ten years since they broke up," he went on.

"Enough, Coop. Let Blaine tell us if he wants to. It's not for you to—"

"…and if he'd just ASKED Kurt a few questions, OR been honest with Kurt about his own situation, he could have put himself out of his misery. Instead, I had to—"

"SHUT UP, COOPER!" Blaine finally said harshly. The table went utterly silent. Blaine was breathing heavily by that point and staring daggers through Coop's skull. His hands were shaking and he was barely keeping it together.

"I'm just saying—"

"Well DON'T!" Everyone said in unison. Blaine nearly grinned at that, but his heart was feeling more than a little battered and he didn't have it in him.

"Fine. Then I'll change the subject completely. Did I tell you that my friend Hannah and her sister Emma are spending the holidays in Germany with their grandparents? They've been out clubbing every night for a month, I swear. Apparently, Grandma and Grandpa Weber are fairly well off and they've funded quite the trip for the girls…partying, shopping, traveling, etc. And look, they even sent pictures. It seems they ran into some other party goers who are also living in America and visiting abroad for the holiday season…and one who isn't coming back to America anytime soon, but I digress. There's Emma…and Hannah…and their cousin Sofia, who they're staying with this week. Sofia is practically royalty in the clubs and she always has a gaggle of friends hanging about, apparently, as you can see from all of these photos, and oh! Look here, that guy hanging all over their cousin Jonas is … wait…" Cooper gasped for effect, "is that Lars? Kurt's Lars? Well, who knew? He looks awfully cozy with Jonas…"

"Give me that!" Blaine growled and nearly ripped the phone out of a grinning Cooper's hands. Coop went back to stabbing his ham and tried very hard to keep his mirth under wraps.

"How dare he do that to Kurt? How can he just…just hang all over that guy when he has Kurt back here waiting for him?! Oh my God, they're totally making out in this picture!" Blaine nearly yelled. "When I get my hands on that guy—"

"Oh, you won't be able to do that unless you're traveling to Germany. He's not coming back for awhile. See, he's been dating Jonas for the better part of two months, since he left Kurt months ago and moved back to Germany. He outbid several local companies and won some rich bastard over with a drop dead gorgeous design on a super modern home on a lake somewhere. Jonas is the contractor. Convenient, isn't it? I mean, they're so cute together, aren't they? Emma said—"

"Why? Why didn't you just tell me this morning!?" Blaine bellowed. Cooper took special notice of the fact that Blaine was holding a sharp knife in his hand and gave an exaggerated grimace.

"I wasn't sure then. When she sent those photos last week, I thought he looked familiar. You're not the only one who's been keeping tabs on Kurt, little brother. Very little brother…"

"Cooper, damn it!" Blaine urged.

"So when you and I were talking this morning it all clicked. That's why the guy in the photos looked familiar. I've seen him photographed with Kurt before. The guy's pretty talented in his own right, but when you see them together…well, they make a great looking couple, don't they?"

"You're from hell, you know that?" Blaine said, eyes squeezed shut, shaking his head from side to side as he pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. "Why wouldn't he tell me? Why wouldn't Kurt say Lars was out of the picture?"

"I dunno…maybe because he thinks you're still with Seth? It's not public knowledge that you're not, Blaine, and thanks for letting me in on that little tidbit of information months ago when that all went down. Kurt's not selfish enough to ruin that for you. He's been a lot of things over the years, but selfish isn't something that sticks out, ya know?"

"I'm confused. When did you see Kurt? Why would it matter that he's no longer with this Lars person?" Phillip asked.

"Oh, Blaine ran into Kurt at the store last night and then they hooked up later," Cooper said nonchalantly as Pam gasped and put her napkin over her mouth. "He—hey, where you goin'?! We're in the middle of dinner, Squirt!" Cooper laughed.

"For God's sake, Cooper!" Blaine bellowed, mortified, then tossed his napkin onto the table and shoved his chair back to its resting place, full plate still sitting there on the fancy tablecloth.

"Blaine? Are you alright?" Pam questioned, obviously concerned with the way Blaine had bolted from the table.

"I don't know if I am or not. We'll see. Can I borrow your car, Mom?"

"Yes, of course, Blaine, but where are you going? We're in the middle of Christmas dinner, sweetheart!"

"I know, and it's delicious and just amazing—"

"Hey, just like Kurt!" Cooper smiled widely.

"I'm going to choke you with my bare hands, I swear. Sit over there and be quiet if that's even remotely possible!?"

"Blaine, honey, sit…"

"Mom, it can't wait. I may have already blown it—"

"Ooooh, juicy details from last night's sexcapades?" Cooper goaded him again. Blaine turned to him slowly, his face blank.

"Merry Christmas, Cooper. You were adopted and nobody here loves you," Blaine deadpanned.

Phillip bit his lip and tried not to snicker, but they were just too entertaining.

"Where are you going, for goodness sake, Blaine!?" Pam called after him as he strode down the hallway toward the front door.

"I'm going after Kurt!" Blaine yelled, shrugging into his coat as he took off out the door with Pam's keys. "Oh, and Cooper, you're an asshole and you're not off the hook, so be on your toes! When you least expect it, I'll be there!"

Cooper barely kept it together long enough to hear the door slam behind Blaine before he burst out laughing.

"That wasn't nice, CJ," his father scolded him. "Why do you torment him so?"

"Duh, because it's so much fun!"

"You're a grown man, Cooper. You should be over this…this thing you have with annoying your brother on purpose," Pam told him, giving him a stern glare.

"If I'm right, he's on his way to the Hummel's place to declare his love to Kurt. I can't see a single thing wrong with that idea if it makes Blaine happy…and that's all I want. I might tease him-"

"Relentlessly—"

"…but you know I love him, and I only want what's best for him. I only want his happiness, same as you do, I just go about it differently. If this works out, I think Blaine will finally be at his absolute best, mentally and emotionally. And if I can torment him about having a part in that until we're old and gray in a nursing home together, then it'll all be worth it."

"If he's able to get to Kurt and they end up together you might escape unscathed. I think you better hope that's what happens," Phillip grinned, rolling his eyes at his son before digging back into his meal. "Always did like that Kurt, though…"

Cooper grinned and nodded. "Yep…he's a good guy. I wouldn't mind him being around again."

Pam just smiled to herself, bashfully recalling Cooper's comment about her son "hooking up" with Kurt the night before. She just wanted Blaine to be happy and she knew, without a doubt, that Kurt made her baby boy happy.

A/N Please don't take offense at the "you're adopted" comment. I mean no disrespect with it, in fact, I think adoption is an amazing option and a gift for many lovely families. Please take it in the spirit of two brothers trying to annoy and one-up each other as it's meant in the story. That's all. Nothing more.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Blaine stood on the Hummel's porch unsure if he was excited or terrified. It felt the same way in his stomach, unsure, like…butterflies fluttering or…maybe all of his internal organs attempting to escape. Yeah, the latter of the two for sure.

With a last, deep breath, he raised his fist and knocked on the door. He could hear talking from inside but he couldn't make out anyone in particular until a loud booming laugh caught his attention and he found himself grinning from ear to ear. Burt. He was so lost in his thoughts that when Carole yanked the door open he was startled for a minute. He'd nearly forgotten that he'd knocked at all.

"Hello? Can I help yo- Blaine? Oh my goodness, Blaine!" she exclaimed loudly and then grabbed him and hauled him inside, bodily, much to his amusement. Clearly, Kurt hadn't shared the details of their evening with everyone or Carole would likely be throwing him out on his ear with a foot in his backside. Thank God for small favors.

"Hi, Carole. How have you been?" Blaine asked as he was crushed to her chest and held in place with vice-like arms.

"Oh, Blaine. It's so good to see you! Let me look at you," she said excitedly, and then held him out at arm's length, studying him thoroughly. "What is this? What's this family of squirrels growing on your face, here?" She laughed, grabbing his chin which was still covered with quite a few months worth of hair growth.

"I wasn't sure if you'd know who I was," he teased, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, nonsense! A mother doesn't forget her third son, Blaine Anderson. How dare you?" she grinned, tugging him in for another hug.

"It's good to see you, too. I…I talked to Kurt and he said you were doing well, but it's always good to see it with my own eyes. I've missed you," Blaine told her, hugging back just as fiercely.

"Oh, my heart. I swear this is the best Christmas gift. Are you coming in? Of course you are, come in!"

"I don't want to intrude on your Christmas, Carole. I just came to talk to Kurt for a minute. I…we talked last night and…there are things…we weren't quite um…honest…with one another. I need to fix that as soon as possible, I think."

"Oh, sweetheart…" she said sadly, then gave Blaine that look that says _I washed your favorite blankie and it shredded in the laundry, honey. I'm sorry._ "He's not here…"

"What? On Christmas? Where could he have gone? The stores and restaurants are all closed," Blaine asked, heart sinking.

"No, honey, he left early. He…he was quite shaken up this morning…" she trailed off, examining the floor intently. She reached out for his hands and squeezed them both. "He was leaving tomorrow to go see Mercedes, but he decided he had to leave early. He was pretty adamant. Burt didn't want him to go but he said…he said he couldn't stay in that room another night," she said bashfully.

"Oh…um. Ok, I'm sorry to have bothered you then," he said, his heart breaking. Had he hurt Kurt that badly? Had Kurt called Lars and told him? Maybe they fought and Kurt was angry and just had to get out of the house and away from Lima? Oh God, what had he done? _Deep breath, Blaine,_ he told himself.

"Sweetheart…you'll never, ever be a bother to me and you well know it. Come in and say hello to Burt or I'll never hear the end of it," she grinned, tugging him by the hand through the foyer and toward the sound of the television.

"Oh, I uh…Carole, I'm not sure I should…" he began, knowing that if Kurt talked to anyone about why he was leaving, it would have been Burt. His heart started to pound again. When Carole tugged him into the living room, he found Burt and Finn animatedly commenting on the football game being played on the TV.

"Honey…" Carole began, and Burt turned to look at her. His face went from amusement at the game to a blank stare in about a second.

"I…I should go. I'm sorry to have disturbed you on Christmas," Blaine said again, feeling the urge to flee run cold through his veins.

"Well, look at you, bigshot," Burt finally said, and a grin broke out on his face. Blaine felt the weight of the world fall from his shoulders and the next minute he was being engulfed in Burt's arms, the hug feeling for all the world like home again.

"Finn Hudson, aren't you even going to get up off your butt and say hello?" Carole reprimanded him.

"Nah, we already talked this morning when he was…I mean…I uh…" Finn stumbled over his own words, then just broke off completely and turned back to the game looking half panicked and half sheepish.

"Oh, is that right? You ran into Finn somewhere this morning, Blaine?" Burt asked, a glimmer in his eyes.

"I…we…would you believe me if I said we saw each other at the uh…at the bakery? That sounds…reasonable…right?" Blaine said, heart thumping madly.

"Oddly, if that's the case, Finn opted not to share any baked goods with anyone else. I'm not at all surprised, though, and I might believe that story if I didn't know otherwise," Burt said sternly.

"Burt…please let me explain—"

"There's nothing to explain. I heard the whole story already. He told me everything."

"E-everything?" Blaine asked, the word barely a breath as it escaped him. He hoped Kurt left out a lot of detail in 'everything'.

"Enough. Sit down, kid. Let's talk," Burt commanded, but not unkindly. "Tell me why you're here, Blaine."

"Why didn't he tell me about Lars?" Blaine blurted, knowing that was his first question for Kurt.

"What about him? That he existed, or…?"

"No, that they broke up. That would have been a game changer. It would have made all the difference!"

"Would it? You'd have…what…waited until 8:30 to sneak out instead?" Burt asked, and Blaine really wished he could tell if Burt was teasing or if he was seriously interrogating him.

"Burt...I…I'm not sorry I came home with Kurt last night. I've never been anything but painfully honest with you and I'm not about to start bending the truth now! If I'd known Lars was out of the picture, things last night and this morning would have gone very differently, I promise you that."

"I don't doubt that, Blaine, but I'm asking how you think things would have been different. You left here without waking him and he was so distraught about everything that happened in the last 24 hours that he left early, refusing to sleep in that bed another night. Now I'm not gonna pull teeth, here, Blaine, but I just want to know—"

"I'm still so in love with him it hurts. Is that what you want to hear? I thought I'd tell Kurt first, but if that's what you need me to say in order to tell me where he's staying or when he'll be home, then I'll tell you the God's honest truth. I have never loved anyone the way I love Kurt, and I'm pretty damn sure I never will. I took off this morning to avoid the awkward morning after and the heart-wrenching goodbye, but mostly because if I'd seen doubt or regret in his eyes it would have killed me. But I didn't leave without telling him how I feel…he was just asleep and didn't hear me."

"Oh, but he did," Burt grinned, needing to let Blaine off the hook.

"He did?" Blaine asked, eyes sad, but hopeful at Burt's words. Burt merely nodded. "Why didn't he say anything? Unless…unless he doesn't feel the same…"

"I don't think that's the case, Blaine, but it's also not my place to say anything about it. I think you need to talk to Kurt. But I also think maybe you weren't totally honest with him, either, were you?"

"I…I thought he was with Lars and he thought I was with Seth. I didn't see the point in telling him otherwise if…if it wouldn't make a difference anyway. I didn't want to ruin a good thing for him, honestly."

"So instead you just slept with my son, assuming he was still with his boyfriend and then walked out this morning without a word?"

Finn coughed, eyes wide, and stood quickly, excusing himself to the kitchen to refill his glass.

"There were words!" Blaine argued, but there was no bite to it. "There were words…" he said more softly this time. "I need to speak with him."

"Well, he's staying for a few days in L.A. with Mercedes and then he's going home to New York. I wish he was coming back here, but he's not. Probably be back in the Spring some time."

"Then I'll go there and wait for him. One way or another we're going to talk. But promise me you won't tell him I'm going to be in New York. I want to surprise him. If I give him too much time to think about it, he'll come up with reasons not to talk about things and I'm not having that. If he doesn't want to be with me, then that's fine. I'll step back. But I won't allow him to shut it down before it starts, and you know that's how Kurt operates."

Burt merely nodded, knowing Blaine was right. " Well, I won't tell him you're coming but you know how Kurt feels about surprises, Blaine. I think you better have something great to say if you're going to surprise my son or he'll verbally shred ya," Burt laughed.

Blaine stayed for another hour or so, just laughing and talking with Kurt's family. He'd missed them over the years and even thought about calling or stopping over once or twice, but it felt…odd. He was glad, though, that he'd gone to the house looking for Kurt. They treated Blaine as if nothing had changed, as if he was still welcome there at any time, and he was infinitely grateful for their acceptance.

"I should get going. I'm sorry to have taken over your Christmas celebration," Blaine said, rising to walk to the foyer and get his coat. "But thank you…for everything. Thank you for letting me in the house, for not yelling at me, for letting me know that not all hope is lost when it comes to Kurt. I'm going to head home, get packed up and then go on to New York and catch up with Kurt there."

"Well, I know my son and he's as stubborn as a mule. Good luck with that one when you tell him you and Seth broke up months ago and you failed to mention that little detail to him," Burt laughed. He hugged Blaine and told him how good it had been to see him. Carole did the same, and fussed over him quite a bit, but then made her way back into the kitchen to finish up with dinner as Finn walked Blaine out to the front door.

"You're really gonna go wait for him?" Finn asked, his grin a bit too big. He was still a big kid and Blaine might have been just a little jealous.

"I am. I'll find somewhere to stay where I can lay low, try hard not to draw any attention, you know? Burt gave me Kurt's number, so I'll call him Thursday when he comes home. I just hope he'll talk to me."

"I'm pretty sure he'll want to talk. In fact, since it's you, I'm pretty sure he'll want to do more than talk, but what do I know?" Finn harassed him.

"I won't turn him down," Blaine sassed right back.

"Didn't think you would, bro. Best of luck to you, Blaine," Finn said, giving him another bone crushing hug.

"I hope I won't need it but I'll certainly take it. If he won't talk to me on the phone I'll just have to track him down, and finding Kurt in NYC will be like finding a needle in a haystack."

Blaine made it out to the car and was backing down the driveway when Finn came out after him, a mischievous grin on his face.

"Here…you might need this," he said.

 **A/N I attribute any mistakes in this chapter to the fact that I am watching ACS Versace for the second time and I can't focus because...well, damn Darren! Quite the performance! Anyway...only two more chapters after this one!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

"I don't know, Cedes. I don't know what the hell to do. It's been _ten years_ and we had one night together! I KNOW what YOU would do, believe me," Kurt said into his phone, thankful she couldn't see his blush now that he was back on the ground in New York. Four days in L.A. had exhausted him but the sunshine was always amazing. He'd spent his days shopping and lounging around the pool with Mercedes and Sam, listening to music and talking about old times. The nights, though…well, that was a different story. They went out clubbing nearly every night, he'd have a drink or two – not too many - then fend off advances he just couldn't entertain because he had Blaine on the brain. Afterward, he'd head home with them, hot, sweaty and exhausted, then sleep half the following day away. It was a balm to his weary soul spending time with Mercedes and Sam, and just trying to forget about what had happened with Blaine on Christmas Eve, even if it was just for a day or two.

"Kurt, I'm tellin' you, that man has it bad." He could hear the smile in her voice, which was a stark contrast to the verbal whipping he'd gotten two nights ago. He'd left his phone on the table after showing her a photo of a design he'd been working on for her. When he got up to refill his glass in the kitchen, she innocently picked up the phone and went back to the photo of the dress, swiping back and forth until she came across the very personal selfie Kurt had taken of a sleeping, rumpled Blaine all but sprawled out on his chest two nights earlier. He couldn't help it. He was well aware that it could potentially be the very last time he ever saw Blaine in person, and it was a memory he'd treasure forever. He had to snap the photo of the two of them, and he had no intention, whatsoever, of anyone ever seeing it but him. But, Mercedes had seen it, and there was no taking that back. Then, all hell had broken loose.

"HOW could you not tell me about this the minute he left the room, Kurt Hummel!?" she'd bellowed. "This is not a drill, Kurt. I repeat, NOT a drill! Blaine Anderson, your ex-boyfriend and resident rocker-hottie of L.A. spent Christmas Eve in your bed for Pete's sake, and you didn't even tell _me_ , your best friend!?"

"I didn't know quite how to bring that up, Mercedes. I mean, I wasn't exactly going to blurt it out over dinner, especially with Sam sitting right there, for goodness sake!" Kurt had defended himself. "This salmon is divine, oh and by the way, on Christmas Eve Blaine and I had the most fantastic sex I've had since we broke up ten years ago, pass the pilaf…"

Mercedes had cackled like a hyena at that and then sat Kurt down for a long, in-depth discussion about what had happened and what he planned to do about it. It was five days later, now, and Kurt was still rattled about his night with Blaine…and clueless as to what his next move should be as he talked to Mercedes on the phone. The cab had reached his building and he was glad for the distraction as he paid the driver and his favorite doorman stepped out to the curb and helped him unload his bags from the trunk of the car.

"Thank you, Dexter. Did you have a good Christmas?" Kurt asked the doorman, who was smiling widely at him.

"It was very good, Mr. Hummel. And how was your Christmas? You were heading home to see family, I believe?" Dexter commented, his grin still firmly in place.

"I was, I did…I went home to Ohio, saw my family, ran into an old friend, and then went out to L.A. to spend some time with my best girl—"

"Who is still on the line and waiting on your thoughts, I might add," Mercedes snarked.

"Mercedes, there is no reason to be rude to people, especially people who are always very kind and helpful to me, _I might add,"_ Kurt mimicked her words back at her. "Thank you so much Dexter," Kurt told him, as the man carried his bags and stepped into the elevator with him. Dexter pushed the button for the fourteenth floor and faced the door as he spoke.

"Please give Ms. Jones my best regards. And please thank her for the tickets for her show that she sent," Dexter told Kurt, smile still very firmly in place. Kurt was beginning to think the poor man's face was stuck like that. Or that he might bite right through his lip at any moment. Well, of course, he was star struck since meeting Mercedes the last time she'd visited Kurt in New York. Kurt thought he may have developed a little crush, actually.

"I'll do just that," Kurt smiled as the elevator doors opened up in front of him. "You can just leave them here by the door, and thank you again for helping me upstairs with my bags."

"You're very welcome, Mr. Hummel. And we're glad to have you home, sir. Everyone is. All of us," he said, stumbling over his words again.

"Kurt, is Dexter drunk? Because he's babbling and I swear he wasn't like that when we met in the Spring," Mercedes giggled.

"I think he has a crush on you," Kurt whispered as the man stepped back on the elevator, glancing over his shoulder at Kurt once more as he did so.

"Uh, maybe he has a crush on _you_ …did you ever consider that possibility? Because he's being all weird. Anyway! You were saying? Are you going to try to call Blaine?" Mercedes asked as Kurt fit his key in the door and wrangled his bags inside.

"Cedes, you're assuming he wants anything to do with me. He left Christmas morning and didn't even wake me. He snuck out of the house! And what part of ' _Seth_ ' isn't getting through? He's been in a relationship with him for years, and as far as he knows, I'm still seeing Lars."

"So, just to be clear, you're totally done with and completely over Lars? No going back to that, right?"

Kurt let out a long sigh as he tossed his keys on the entry table and tried to slip his jacket off. "Can you hang on for just a second? I need to hang my coat up and I don't wanna drop my phone or hang up on you," Kurt told her.

"You're not stalling, are you? I mean, you were all chatty this week and then when the whole 'Blaine' thing came up, you clammed up on me, Kurt Hummel."

"I absolutely did not clam up on you! I told you everyth—ok, well, almost everything that happened between Blaine and me. And don't ask me what I left out because I left it out for a reason. I can only kiss and tell so much without feeling like a creep. Hang on, let me just put you on speaker."

"What are you not telling me, Kurt? You ran into him in the grocery store on Christmas Eve. He caught you pilfering the last pint of Cherry Garcia. You guys drank Burt's beer in Cooper's car in the parking lot, then you went to get some Chinese food. When they kicked you out, you went home to your Dad and Carole's place and, after you tried to escape before you caused him to do something you knew he'd feel guilty for, you ended up in bed together. And, in your own words, it was the best sex you'd had since the two of you broke up ten years ago. Now, what aren't you telling me?"

Kurt bypassed the kitchen, dragged his bags down the hallway and into his bedroom, and then unzipped his garment bag and began to hang things up. He tossed his phone on the bed and kept talking.

"Cedes…" Kurt sighed. "I'm scared. I really, really am."

"You're scared of Blaine!? Are you insane, Kurt? Blaine would never hurt you…again. He felt horrible last time and you know it. We all told you how he fell apart and had to be put back together. Thank goodness for his music or I truly think he would have gone over the edge after what happened between the two of you."

"I never would have forgiven myself," Kurt whispered, squeezing his eyes shut tightly.

"Because you still cared for him then…as you do now. Don't you?"

"So much," Kurt answered, shaking his head slowly from side to side. "But I won't ruin what he has for my own selfish gain. I can't do that to him. Even if he said…what he said."

"Oh, and please, do tell, what did he say, Kurt!?"

"Oh, you know, your standard rip-your-heart-out stuff. He said I was always on his mind and in his heart and always would be. He said he'd always love me…" Kurt broke off, feeling as if he would choke at any moment, willing the sob to stay where it was and not escape into the phone.

"Oh, Kurt…you have to try to get in touch with him. You can't let this…this _thing,_ fester between you. You need to at least talk to him, feel it out and see where it's going."

"I know, and I think you're right. Write that down, I won't be saying it again anytime soon," Kurt joked, heading back into his living room. He'd put up a small Christmas tree this year, just not feeling a larger tree since it was only him now. Smiling, he switched on the little twinkling lights on the tree. Maybe he'd get a dog? No, not a dog. He wouldn't have anywhere to take it out to relieve itself. A cat, perhaps?

"Kurt…do you still love Blaine?

Kurt examined the tiny decorations on his tiny tree and grinned. He hadn't gone all out for a big Christmas tree this year because he knew he wouldn't be in town to enjoy it much. So, his little two-foot tall tree sat on a table in the window, it's tiny lights flickering in the darkness as he examined the 'ornaments' he'd carefully and painstakingly put on the little branches. _Maybe someday he'll see them?_ Placed on every other tiny branch was one of the rings that Blaine had once made him out of candy and gum wrappers, each one of them showing off its colorful or shiny pattern. They were the only ornaments he allowed to adorn said shrubbery after finding them in his "Blaine box" after Lars left and Kurt went through the box on his own. With a smile, he answered Mercedes.

"I've always loved Blaine, Mercedes, and I always will. It doesn't matter, though, because he has Seth and I won't be the reason that all falls to shit, ok?"

"You were already the reason that fell to shit, Kurt."

With a start, heart pounding, Kurt whirled around to find someone sitting in his favorite chair in the darkest corner of his living room.

"Kurt? Kurt! What's happening? Are you…who's there with you? Are you ok?" Mercedes blurted out, realizing immediately that it wasn't Kurt who's spoken.

Kurt just stared into the corner, knowing exactly who was there in his home and willed his heart to stop thumping like it was.

"Honey, I'm going to have to…" he began, hands shaking now. "Gonna call you back, ok?"

"Kurt, please tell me what's going on. Are you ok?" she asked, and the concern in her voice was nothing compared to the panic in Kurt's head. He just nodded.

"I don't think she can see you nodding, Kurt," Blaine smiled that heart-stopping smile at him as he stood and walked over to the little tree where Kurt was planted, unable to move. "I'm pretty sure he's a bit shaken up at finding me in his living room Mercedes, but I think he'll be ok. I promise to take good care of him. Oh, and I saw your show in San Francisco about six months ago and you killed it," Blaine grinned at Kurt's phone.

"Blaine Anderson…" Mercedes spoke from the phone, and the glee in her voice was unmistakable. "Well, I think the two of you have some things to discuss," she said, her voice soft and understanding now. "We'll discuss why you didn't let me know you were at the show later, mark my words, mister! You take good care of my Boo, you hear me. Kurt, call me back when you can. I love youuuuu," she sang, and then disconnected.

"You kept them, you little fibber," Blaine smiled at him, fingering the little "bows" on Kurt's tree, and Kurt felt the urge to giggle well up inside him. It was a marked improvement from the panicked gasp that wanted to tear out a few seconds earlier.

"I never said I didn't, I just thought that telling you that they were safely nestled in a tissue lined box in my closet would be a little…extreme…and might send you running," Kurt grinned shyly.

"And you put them on the tree before you ever left to go to Ohio…before we ever ran into each other in the store," Blaine said softly, shaking his head as he smiled at the little tree. "You kept them…" he said again, his smile wider now.

"Everything you've ever given me is special to me, Blaine…everything. I never parted with…our things. I couldn't. I've taken very good care of anything you trusted me with."

"That's good to know…since you've had my heart all this time," Blaine said quietly, his smile hesitant as he ran the backs of his fingers over Kurt's cheek, still pink from being out in the cold earlier.

Kurt's breathing picked up but he said nothing, obviously flustered at Blaine's appearance.

"May I?" Blaine asked, slowly edging up toward Kurt, arms out in invitation. Kurt nodded but felt his heart begin to pound again and suddenly he felt like he would cry at Blaine's embrace. Then those strong, familiar arms slid around him and tucked him in close and Kurt had never felt so safe in his life. But then the questions started flitting through his brain and fell out of his mouth at warp speed.

"What are you doing here? And how did you get in!? Oh my God, who knows you're here? Did you meet Dexter? Is that why he was grinning like a deranged fool!? I'll never hear the end of this, oh my God, Blaine!" Kurt babbled. Blaine just held him closer and chuckled at Kurt's near hysteria.

"Besides Dexter, I'm pretty sure the only person who knows I'm in your apartment is Finn. I used his key to get in and he called Dex to tell him I'd be here and sweet talk him into letting me in. Oh, and Li who works for China Dragon a few blocks over. You're painfully low on groceries, Kurt," Blaine grinned.

"Oh, now it's 'Dex', is it? And just how well do we know 'Dex', Blaine?" Kurt teased.

"Why…are you jealous?" Blaine teased him right back. "We may have had a meal or two…or five… together since I've been here. I don't know anyone else in the city, ya know. And I can't exactly go out and plop my butt down in a diner anymore. He was kind enough to bring me food and I invited him to stay and watch TV a few times," Blaine smiled. "He's kept me company, kept me sane while I waited, patiently, for you to come home."

"Uh, I could be wrong, but I'm fairly sure the vast majority of the population of New York City would be absolutely beside themselves with elation if you sat down with them for a meal anywhere, Blaine Anderson!" Kurt laughed. "Oh…you…you shaved…" Kurt breathed, just now registering the change, his fingers ghosting up and over Blaine's cheek, the stubble already coming back. Kurt didn't mind. It was sexy as hell.

"Dex said I looked like a homeless person."

"You did…" Kurt smiled, then leaned in and pressed a kiss to Blaine's lips without thinking. Even after all this time, it felt…right. Normal. "Oh…I'm sorry, I—that was very forward of me."

"Please do it again?"

* * *

They sat huddled together on the sofa, as close as they could get without sitting on one another, and they talked well into the evening.

"You said I was the reason things with Seth fell to shit. Why would you say that?" Kurt asked, eyes downcast.

"Seth…knew. He'd known all along there was someone who had my heart and I couldn't fully commit to him. I didn't see it for what it was, I was just trying so hard to make something work without you. But he knew, and he finally said he couldn't keep me in a half-hearted relationship anymore…and he left."

"Blaine…" Kurt sighed out, shaking his head. "I'm sorry. I know you two were together for a long time."

"We were, and we were good…for the most part, but…when you can't give it 100%, it'll never work out, and he saw that. He was…" Blaine paused and sighed. "He was sad, I think, and he said he was 'sorry he could never be my Kurt'. For a while, that kinda broke my heart, but the more I thought about it, the more I knew he was right. I had to be away from him to see what we really were…or weren't, for that matter. He couldn't be you, and I needed you in my life again. Nobody else could fill the gaping hole you left there, Kurt. It's always been you."

"Is he…is he angry? Bitter? Should I expect mail with the letters cut out of magazines and newspapers and such?" Kurt teased. Blaine's grin was wide and contagious.

"No. He's good. He had clearly known for a while that he planned to go, and he was already seeing someone when I came back to the States at the end of the summer. He had graciously offered to keep things with Greg on the down-low until I figured out what I wanted to do about…you. But he fervently urged me to track you down and see what we might still have between us. And I planned to, believe me. I just didn't…I didn't think fate would step in so soon. But I'm infinitely glad that it did."

They were both quiet for a few minutes, Kurt's head resting on Blaine's shoulder as he sat there lost in thoughts of what had been, what was, and what could be.

"Tell me about Lars?"

"What? Seriously?" Kurt asked, wanting to talk about anything but Lars. With a sigh at Blaine's look of expectation, he began to speak.

"Lars and I…we were friends. We met through work and we were fast friends and it was…nice. It was nice to have a friend who was well known for his own work and didn't hang on because of…me…who I am and where I work, ya know? There had been plenty of those around and I had begun to distrust people. But Lars was different. We were just friends for a little while, but then it progressed into more, and it was comfortable, but not…everything. He's…he's bitter, I think. After he found my box of memories, he left. He was angry, and although I don't think he had reason to be nearly as angry as he was, I can see where he was…hurt. I kept those things for a reason, and he realized what that reason was. He knew I still had feelings for you and he said some rather crappy things as he left. But, it was for the best. He's moved on, I'm told," Kurt chuckled. "And that's just fine."

"But you loved him, at least at some point?"

"I did love him but I don't know that I was ever in love with him. We were great…as friends. It was convenient and agreeable…not the words you want to describe the relationship of a lifetime, though," Kurt said, sadly.

"And what words are those?" Blaine asked, nosing at Kurt's cheek.

"Overwhelming, spectacular, intense, comfortable…but in an 'I don't ever have to worry about anything with us' kind of way…not in a complacent way. And love…above all else, strong and abiding love," Kurt finished, his voice soft and strong all at once. "In that 'I've been looking for you forever' kind of way," Kurt grinned, the love in his eyes so brilliant and sincere that Blaine was silent for a moment.

"And you think we might have a chance at that?"

"Well, I can only speak for myself, but I feel like…we've already been there and we're just making our way back to it. I need you in my life, Blaine. I don't know how I made it this long without you, but…whatever we need to do to make this work, I want us to be together again…if you want that, too."

"More than anything in the world, Kurt. More than I can even tell you. I didn't realize just how empty I was inside until I had you in my arms again."

"It won't be easy. You travel, I travel. We're not exactly living in the same city, either, but I want you to know, I think we can make a real go of it. I'm willing to try. I think we're worth it, B."

"Kurt," Blaine just shook his head, his cheeks pink from Kurt's words. He was thrilled to death to hear they were on the same page. "I firmly believe we can do this. And the distance—"

Blaine broke off at the sound of the doorbell ringing and Kurt found it odd that Dexter hadn't called up to tell him he had a visitor. They looked at each other for a moment and then Kurt rose and walked to the door, pulling it open.

 **A/N There...are you happy now? They're together again and it only took us...oh crap, yeah...way too long. I know, I know! :) Thanks for reading! One more chapter to go!**

 **And thanks to Leah, whose review for the last chapter made me laugh out loud. Yes...wow, indeed, Ms. Leah! :D**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Dexter stood in the doorway, looking sheepish, but he knew Kurt pretty well, and now he knew Blaine freaking Anderson, and he needed to be sure they were taken care of.

"What's all this?" Kurt asked, his grin wide as he took in the overflowing bag in Dex's hand.

"I noticed you hadn't called out for food, and I know very well from that guy," he said, nodding with a grin at the man over Kurt's shoulder, "that your cupboards and fridge are painfully bare. I wanted to be sure you had dinner, gentlemen. So…for you. Enjoy."

He handed Kurt the bag, which was obviously from The Capital Grille, and Kurt thanked Dexter profusely, as the contents of the bag smelled divine, whatever it was.

"Awww, Dex, you didn't have to do that! But I won't turn it down. What do I owe you?" Kurt asked.

"Not a cent, Mr. Hummel. It's my pleasure, believe me. You've always been so generous to me, always making sure of my comfort, especially on the coldest days. You remember my birthday, you always take care of me and my family at Christmas time – oh, Mama nearly swooned at the theater tickets you sent her and she says thank you a million times. It's just been a joy to work here because of it, so from my family to you and…Mr. Anderson…"

"BLAINE! It's Blaine, Dex, we've been over this…"

"Well, from my family to the two of you, Merry Christmas and I wish you both the happiest year to come." With that, he nodded to Kurt, turned and left.

* * *

"This is beyond fantastic, Kurt. I'm not sure where this place is, but we have to find it and go there again," Blaine commented around a mouthful of steak and truffle fries.

"We have enough food here that we won't need to leave for days," Kurt laughed. "I think he wasn't sure what we liked, so he ordered one of everything just in case. I've been to The Capital Grille many times, though, so I'm happy to take you there again," Kurt grinned.

"It's a date, then." Blaine watched Kurt's face as the words registered with him.

"A date…you and me…on a date. Again," Kurt smiled widely. "I think I'm ok with that," he finished, biting his lip as he did so.

"You're so damn cute."

"Blaine…"

"You are. You're still the same Kurt I fell so madly in love with, and I'm just so grateful that you haven't changed from that strong-willed, determined, breathtaking boy I fell for years ago."

"You've changed, though," Kurt said, and Blaine's eyes snapped up to meet his, concern etched in his features.

"What do you mean? How so?"

"Your eyes are more soulful than they were but still just as beautiful. Your shoulders are broader, your waist not as tiny, but still sexy and trim and your abs are…" Kurt paused, licking his bottom lip as he considered his next words. "..delicious," he breathed, eyes never leaving Blaine's as he spoke. Then a tiny, little shit eating grin broke out on his lips and he nodded to his food.

"…huh?" Blaine asked, brain fogged.

"How's yours?"

"Oh, um…delicious. Yeah…and yours?"

"Divine…so good," Kurt answered, spooning up his hearty chowder.

"This is…cozy...you and me. I like this," Blaine grinned around a mouthful. "I…I'll need to find a place close to The Capital Grille, apparently," he broke off, unsure how his news would be received.

"A place?" Kurt asked.

"I um…I'm going to be doing some work with Wes…you remember Wes?"

"Of course I do. Does he still carry that gavel around ?"

"Probably, I guess I'll find out soon enough. I have to um…to find a place to live…here in the city. I was hoping you'd help me look for…something. A place." Blaine fumbled through his words, unsure how Kurt would react to knowing Blaine would suddenly be right under his nose.

"You're moving here? Like…away from L.A. Permanently? H-how soon?" Kurt was nearly vibrating in his chair but he refused to act like a 14-year-old on an energy drink binge.

"I have meetings with Wes and the production crew next week, actually, so I need to pack up the important stuff and find somewhere to stay until I can find a suitable apartment or…whatever."

Kurt wasn't sure how to reply. He knew what he wanted to say right off the bat, but he didn't say it. He held off, unsure if he was being too forward, or if Blaine would think he was being clingy. But after ten years apart, Kurt didn't want Blaine to leave…at all. Surely he'd have to go back to L.A. for his things, but Kurt wanted Blaine with him, not blocks or a train or miles and miles away. And he had plenty of room…

"When I told Phil I was here—"

"And Phil is…?"

"Oh, Phil's my producer…and my friend. He's a very good friend, really. I'm not sure what my life would be without him. He 'found me' when I went out to L.A. so I owe him an awful lot. He's sort of my…guy who does a whole lot of things for me," Blaine laughed. "Anyway, he has my assistant, Liz, looking for places here, already, apparently. He'll stay in L.A. He has other stuff going on out there, but Liz might come to New York with me…she's not sure yet."

"Well, it's a big move and NYC is utterly different than L.A. in a lot of ways. Can we um...can we put off finding a place until after the weekend? After the New Year and all that?" Kurt asked.

"Oh…yeah…well, I guess. If you don't have time, that's totally ok, Kurt. I just thought—"

"Stay with me for a few days? You won't have to pack your things up and move into a hotel. You can stay here until you…um…until you find something. If you want. You don't have to if you don't want to, but I…I have room and…a spare room…if you want. If that's weird. Being here. With me. After all this time. Or not. I don't want to push you."

"Geez, that was…wow. All I can say is wow. You're babbling, so clearly something is making you nervous, Kurt. What's on your mind?" Blaine asked with a kind, concerned smile. "If me being here or moving here is weirding you out—"

"Oh my God you idiot, please stay with me? Don't go. I just got you back, and I don't want you to leave. Is that too much to ask?!" Kurt ranted passionately, eyes wide as he blurted out the words to Blaine. And poor Blaine, he sat stock still and just stared before finally bursting out laughing. "Oh, ok, now you're laughing at me. Fantastic…." Kurt snarked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I'm not laughing at you, I'm just…I'm just laughing because you make me happy, Kurt. I was hoping, so much, that you'd get that hint and ask me to stay. I don't want to leave you either…not so soon. Not after I've just found you again." He leaned in and kissed Kurt soundly, weaving his fingers through the soft hair at Kurt's nape. He drew back and just rubbed their noses together, eyelashes fluttering to rest on his cheeks as he smiled and just took in all there was of Kurt Hummel in his arms.

"I think I'm finished eating…" Kurt whispered into the air between them, placing a small, barely-there peck on Blaine's lips. "And I'm nowhere near tired anymore, although I'm not opposed to heading to bed…" he said as he stood up and set his plate on the kitchen island, glancing over his shoulder as he did so.

A soft, plaintive whine escaped Blaine's mouth without warning and he lunged at Kurt, who took off down the hall like a shot, laughing all the way.

* * *

Kurt woke the second time that morning, sore and overworked but so well rested and sated that it was probably illegal. Anything this good always was. He'd been awakened the first time by Blaine's lips wrapped snugly around him, strong hands holding his hips down as he tried in vain to thrust up into the wet heat enveloping him utterly and completely. As soon as his finally-conscious mind registered what was happening, it took mere seconds before a fantastic climax that shook him to his very core. Being worked open, slowly and carefully, by the love of his life shortly thereafter as they made love didn't hurt his mood, either. God, that man was fantastic.

It took him a few seconds to realize the phone was what woke him this time.

"H'lo?" he mumbled sleepily, not even checking to see who was calling.

"I thought I'd get a call yesterday to tell me you were back in New York, but maybe you're too busy to call your ol' man anymore," Burt teased. Kurt just rolled his eyes and grinned.

"I'm not too busy, I was just too—"

"Busy?"

"Tired!" Kurt chuckled. "It was a good trip, but a long flight with restless 18-month-old twins two seats behind me. And when I got home I was…sidetracked right away."

"Oh? How so? Work?"

"No, not work. I'm officially out of the office until after the new year."

"And that's two days from now, Kurt," Burt reminded him, rolling his eyes, "not a month or more."

"Kurt?" Blaine asked sleepily, rolling over to see Kurt propped up against the headboard and speaking to someone on the phone. "Sorry…" he whispered.

"Oh, I didn't realize you had…company," Burt commented, thankful that Kurt couldn't see the grin on his face as he did so.

"I…Dad…"

"Kurt, you know I'm not here to judge you or your habits or whatever, but we had a talk a while back about how you matter, and I don't want you to forget that just because you're older and you're trying to forget about Blaine," Burt scolded him while trying not to laugh on his end.

"Dad! I'm not…I don't throw myself around! Jesus…" Kurt huffed, embarrassed at having to have the conversation at all with Blaine next to him in his bed.

"I'm just saying, Kurt, earlier this week it was Blaine, and now—"

"Now it's _still_ Blaine, Dad, oh my God!" Kurt huffed, annoyed. Blaine just chuckled next to him, trying hard not to let Kurt know, but he was on to Burt's game. He could definitely hear Burt giving Kurt a hard time on the phone.

"Oh, well, that's different then, isn't it? Seeing as you're still head over heels for him after all this time, and he feels the same about you, of course, isn't that right Blaine? At least that's what he told us when he was here on Christmas Day…"

"That's an accurate statement, Burt. Thanks for that," Blaine mumbled, still grinning like a fool, his face buried in Kurt's pillow.

"Wait, what? You were at my house on Christmas?" Kurt asked him, leaving Burt grinning on the line hundreds of miles away.

"I was. I came back to talk to you, but you'd already left. I couldn't leave things the way they were. Burt and Carole told me that you'd left to go visit Mercedes and that you were heading home to the city after that…and then Finn caught me outside and gave me his key to your place and your address."

"You sneaky little—"

"Now Kurt, mind your manners," Burt chastised him.

"So you called knowing he'd be here!?" Kurt bellowed into the phone at his dad.

"I had a sneaking suspicion…and Carole certainly hoped so," Burt grinned. "But in all seriousness, Kurt…how are you?"

Kurt sat up straighter in bed and leaned fully against the headboard. Blaine rolled over to lay his head on Kurt's belly, giving his belly button a little peck as he did so, then flopped an arm across Kurt's hips and shrugged the comforter up over himself, a content grin on his face as he did so.

"Right now? I'm really good, Dad…so good. Couldn't ask for anything more," Kurt smiled and ran his fingers through Blaine's curls.

"And Blaine?"

"Never been better, Burt," Blaine mumbled from Kurt's lap. "Never been better."

"Well, boys, I'm glad to hear it. I won't pretend this isn't really awkward because I know you're lying in bed together and Kurt, you're still my little boy, and for that matter, Blaine's always been like a son to me, so that just makes this even weirder, but—"

"Burt, let them be and hang up the phone!" Carole laughed in the background. "I'm so happy for you, boys! I love you both!" she called out loudly enough for them to hear her.

"Tell Carole we love her, too, Dad. I'm gonna go. I'll call you later. Love you."

"We love you, too. Both of ya! Be good to each other, boys," Burt said, then hung up.

Blaine stretched and smiled, tugging Kurt closer to him and preened like a cat when Kurt ran his fingers through curls and over his scalp.

"Gawd, that feels so good…really good. And speaking of 'really good', wanna tell me about ' _the best sex you've had since we broke up ten years ago_?" Blaine teased.

"Oh, YOU!" Kurt laughed out loud, then attacked Blaine with a pillow until he begged for mercy.

 _ **Finn:** I don't wanna say 'I told you so', but I kinda did. Burt and Mom are cackling and dancing around in the kitchen. I just thought you'd wanna know. I'm happy for you guys._

 _ **Blaine:** This may be the only time in my life I don't mind someone throwing "I told you so" in my face, Finn. And thank you…for everything._

 _ **Finn:** You're more than welcome. And welcome back._

 _ **Blaine:** It's good to be…home._

* * *

 **And that's it...the end. Thanks for reading and special thanks to those of you who reviewed and sent feedback. You don't know how much I look forward to those messages :)**

 **As always, many thanks to Suzanne for editing for me. Hugs and appreciation to Sue, Kris, Steph, Laura and Robyn for listening to me whine about scenes I couldn't get right and just plain being there for me these past few weeks when some seriously weird stuff went down and I needed a virtual hug. :) Love you, ladies!**

 **And one last thing: In light of last night's announcement...please be kind to one another. I've seen some awfully nasty stuff online and it saddens me. There are so many emotions about all of it, and when it comes down to it, it really has nothing to do with us. We're not gonna change each other's minds, and it's crazy to argue and be hateful to each other over things we can't change. Please...be kind. This is our fandom, come hell or high water, and we need to remember...we're still here for our Klaine. :) Hugs, and have a good weekend.**


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